Tenchi Muyo: No need for Boys!
by shanejayell
Summary: What if Tenchi was a girl? Shoujo-ai comedy!
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from this fanfic. Some of the material for this story was taken from Tenchi Muyo OVA #1, freely adapted for the purposes of this story.  
  
Tenchi Muyo: No Need for Boys!  
  
The tall, dark haired woman paused in her sweeping, looking around her cautiously. She carefully leaned the broom up against the post and went inside, closing the screen behind her before looking around the room curiously. "Now where would he have hidden it?" she wondered, opening up drawers and lifting piles of paper.  
  
The screen slid open again, and Tenchi looked up. The cat sat out on the porch looking at her calmly, and she breathed a small sigh of relief.  
  
"Hello, Tenchi," came from right behind her.  
  
Tenchi calmly answered, "Hello, Grandfather."  
  
The gray haired man smiled, and there was a twinkle of pride in his violet eyes. He had scared Tenchi often in the first few weeks she had been at the shrine, but his training her had paid off. Now she maintained her cool, no matter what happened.  
  
"Looking for this?" Grandfather asked, holding up a old ring of keys.  
  
Tenchi smiled, "Yes."  
  
"You know that going into the cave is forbidden, Tenchi," Grandfather reminded her as sternly as he could manage.  
  
Her jaw tensed, a stubborn look appearing on Tenchi's face. She sighed, "I don't know why, Grandfather, but I really want to see what's inside there."  
  
Her grandfather slid the ring of keys into his robe and patted it with a smile. "You can always see if you can take them from me," he offered.  
  
Tenchi rose from her knees smoothly, taking up her stance. She moved forward gracefully, reading his posture before she struck. They danced around the little room, sparring back and forth, Tenchi carefully maintaining her guard. Finally the more experienced fighter deflected her, and she hammered into the closet, slamming through the screen.  
  
"You're getting better," Grandfather said, letting a bit of admiration show in his voice, "but not quite good enough," He turned and opened the screen door, "Finish up the sweeping, please. It's all part of your training."  
  
Tenchi pulled herself from the closet, her eyes gleaming. Dangling from her mouth was a ring of keys, which she spat into her hand before bolting out of the room. She ran down the path towards the cave, a broad smile on her normally serious face.  
  
"Sorry Grandfather," Tenchi murmured, "but I just have to see."  
  
Tenchi slowed coming into sight of the cave. She bent down a bit to enter, straightening up as she walked to the sealed gate. She unlocked it, pausing a moment as she remembered the other times she had stood here, years ago.  
  
Tenchi remembered looking up at him as Grandfather explained to her, "A demon sleeps here. Long ago, an evil demon came here from the sky. In one step, it could cross mountains, and it's great strength could crush those mountains to dust. It destroyed villages, burning everything, and our people suffered greatly because of it's evil power."  
  
"What happened to it?" she had asked.  
  
"One day, a ship like a dragon appeared from the sky, and on it's back rose a mighty samurai, our ancestor. He fought the demon using a sword with great spiritual power and finally defeated the demon. He sealed it to sleep in the shrine, watched over and held prisoner by the sword planted in the ground," he finished.  
  
Tenchi shook her head, firmly banishing the past and striding into the cave. She descended into a larger chamber in the cave, hung with ropes and strange charms carved into the massive stones. She reached out, tracing the script that wasn't Japanese or any other language she recognized.  
  
"A little disappointing," Tenchi murmured as she looked around.  
  
Her eyes widened, and Tenchi walked over to the little wooden house. It took a bit of work to get it open, but within the hilt of a sword stuck up from the earth. 'Wood?' Tenchi thought as she touched it, an odd sensation racing up her arm. She closed her hand on it, pulled hard, and the sword easily came free.  
  
She sighed softly as the sheath came free, exposing a blade that had long ago been consumed by rust. "Poor thing," Tenchi smiled wryly, taking a few practice swings. A misstep brought it down on a nearby stone, and the blade crumbled. Yet somehow, the sword was still able to split the stone with a loud crack.  
  
"How?" she blurted, looking down at the hilt in her hand in shock. There was a grinding of stone on stone, and Tenchi turned towards the sound to see another cave had opened up in what had seemed to be a solid wall. Her curiosity getting the best of her, Tenchi cautiously slipped through the opening into darkness.  
  
She took a half step, splashing right into a puddle of water. "Cold," Tenchi gasped, taking a half step forward to get out the water. Her foot slipped, she scrambled for something to grab, and slid right down the steep slope. She thumped to the bottom on her butt, and instinctively reached up to catch the sword hilt, keeping it from striking her on the head.  
  
Carved channels of stone lead to the center of the chamber she found herself in. The room was lit by an eerie glow, coming from ahead of her. She pulled herself to her feet and walked forward, wanting to see what was causing it.  
  
"It can't be," Tenchi murmured, looking at the desiccated figure laying there in the pool. The face was that of a demon, scarlet and fearsome, the limbs almost skeletal, garbed in tattered cloth. "Is this really the demon?" she wondered aloud.  
  
Lost in her thoughs, Tenchi's grip on the sword hilt loosened, and it dropped with a clatter to the stones. "Eeep!" she jumped back in shock, looking around her wildly. She took a deep breath to steady herself, muttering softly, "Well, that was embarrassing." A blush on her cheeks, she bent down and picked up the hilt.  
  
Then a hand came out of the water and grabbed her wrist!  
  
Tenchi looked up in surprise to see the demon pulling herself up to a sitting position, her eyes glowing blue in the darkness of the cave. Another hand reached out, gently stroking along Tenchi's cheek, and she shivered slightly at the sensation.  
  
Every nerve screamed that she run, that Tenchi tear free from this thing's grip and flee up and out of the cave. But something held her there, maybe her Grandfather's training, or maybe something she saw in those glowing eyes.  
  
"You don't scare easily," the demon actually sounded amused.  
  
"No, I don't," Tenchi answered quietly, keeping her voice remarkably even, considering the circumstances. It was crazy, she should have been terrified, but instead she felt... safe. It was almost like she knew her.  
  
The demon managed to stand up, swaying there slightly. There was a soft, skittering sound, and what Tenchi had thought were tree roots flowed across the stones towards the demon, pouring into her body somehow. Her nearly skin and bones body gradually filled out, eventually becoming the form of a young woman.  
  
She looked nearly human, her long pale blue hair sweeping down her back. Her face had an impish look, her cat slit eyes intense, glowing a bit still in the shadows. Her body was curvy, but also athletic, and very obviously female.  
  
"My name is Ryouko," she smiled slightly at Tenchi, taking a step forward. She staggered, dropping to her knees as she gasped out, "too damn weak."  
  
Tenchi quickly knelt at her side, "Let me help you." Not waiting for an answer, she got Ryouko's arm over her shoulder, helping hold her up.  
  
"Aren't you supposed to be fighting me with that thing?" Ryouko managed to ask, pointing to the sword hilt Tenchi had tucked into her belt.  
  
"How long have you been down here?" Tenchi ignored the question, asking Ryouko one of her own instead.  
  
"Seven hundred years," Ryouko answered softly, and her voice carried the loneliness and pain that Ryouko had felt during those long years alone.  
  
Tenchi looked at her wide eyed. "Whatever wrongs you may have done," she said softly, "that should have more than made up for them."  
  
"Maybe so," Ryouko murmured, an odd look on her face.  
  
"Let's get out of here," Tenchi said firmly. She looked at the way out, the steep slope upward, and groaned, "This isn't going to be easy."  
  
Not very long afterward, Tenchi and Ryouko were sitting on a rock out by the cave mouth, enjoying the warmth of the sun. Well, Ryouko was sitting there, Tenchi having flopped over on to her back to catch her breath a bit.  
  
"The sun feels so nice," Ryouko sighed, tilting her face up to the warm rays. She turned to see Tenchi had actually dozed off, the effort of getting Ryouko and herself to the surface having sapped her strength.  
  
The dark haired girl's hair was spread out across the stone, her face as innocent as a baby's. 'She's beautiful,' Ryouko found herself thinking, reaching out to stroke that face once again.  
  
"I should be angry, taking my vengeance out on you," Ryouko murmured, "but somehow I can't seem to do it."  
  
Tenchi opened her eyes again, a little smile on her face as she said, "That's good, because I'm too tired to try to run away."  
  
Ryouko laughed softly, and Tenchi joined her. "Where do you live?" Ryouko asked her as Tenchi pushed herself to a sitting position.  
  
"I'm staying with my grandfather, not far from here," Tenchi said tiredly.  
  
"Then let me try to get you home a bit faster," Ryouko took her hand, pulling her to her feet.  
  
"How?" Tenchi asked as Ryouko tugged her close to her.  
  
An arm slid around Tenchi's shoulders and Ryouko grinned, "Like this." They slowly rose upward, in moments flying above the forest.  
  
"Wow," Tenchi smiled at Ryouko, holding on to her tightly. They skimmed across the trees, coming down beside a small house.  
  
"Well. let's go in," Ryouko said.  
  
Tenchi stoped her, an odd little smile on her face. "Wait a minute," she said, knocking on the door. Her grandfather answered, and she smiled up at him cheerfully.  
  
Grandfather looked past her and his eyes widened, "What in the..."  
  
"Grandfather, meet Ryouko," Tenchi smiled. She smiled up at him impishly, "She followed me home, can I keep her?"  
  
Author's Note: To be continued? Well, maybe. The female Tenchi first appeared in my fic 'No Need for Alternates' and sort of demanded her own story. I'll probably do a part two, featuring Ayeka, but I'm not promising much more than that. 


	2. Chapter Two

Tenchi Muyo: No Need for Boys! Part Two  
  
Her Grandfather looked down at the two of them a moment, keeping his expression carefully blank. A slight smile appeared on his face when he said, "I don't know if you can keep her, but she can certainly visit."  
  
"Thank you, Grandfather," Tenchi bowed respectfully to the older man. Ryouko headed back to Tenchi's room and she was about to follow when a hand on her arm stopped her.  
  
"That sword hilt," her Grandfather said softly, "it's from the cave?"  
  
For just a moment Tenchi considered lying, but she answered, "Yes."  
  
Her Grandfather nodded his approval, and Tenchi realized that the old man had known all along. "Keep it with you," was all he said.  
  
A few moments later, and both Tenchi and Ryouko had retreated to the room she had been staying in for the summer. Ryouko looked thoughtful, murmuring, "There's something familiar about that old man."  
  
Tenchi looked over at her thoughtfully, "Well, Yosho is supposed to be our ancestor." She shrugged, "Maybe we look like him."  
  
Ryouko made a face, "Try not to remind me of that too often, please. Or I may have to decide to take my vengeance on you anyway."  
  
Tenchi just smiled, somehow knowing that she wasn't too serious. "I'm going to set up a mattress on the floor," Tenchi said, "and you can take the bed." Tenchi took a few steps before Ryouko reached out and gently grabbed her arm.  
  
Tenchi turned, and met those vivid cat eyes again as Ryouko frowned, "That's not necessary. We can just share the bed."  
  
"I..." Tenchi started, when Ryouko placed her fingers against her lips.  
  
"No need for arguments," Ryouko smiled. "We're both women," she smiled impishly, "and I promise to be a perfect gentleman."  
  
Tenchi blushed, gulped, then she managed, "Yes."  
  
Tenchi got into the bed first, and Ryouko paused for a moment, standing there by the bed. "By the way, I prefer to sleep nude," she said cheerfully as her body shimmered, sliding right out of her clothes and leaving them in a pile on the floor. Tenchi's eyes got as big as saucers as Ryouko slid into bed beside her.  
  
"Good night, Ryouko," Tenchi squeaked out, keeping herself firmly turned away from the completely bare Ryouko.  
  
Ryouko pressed her body up against Tenchi's back, her breath gliding across the fiercely blushing Tenchi's ear as she murmured, "Good night."  
  
In another part of the shrine Tenchi's Grandfather sat in his office, a thoughtful expression on his face. The man who called himself Katsuhito Masaki took his glasses off and sat them down beside a jug on the desk, from which he poured out a glass of sake. He quickly tossed it back and sat there a moment before murmuring, "Nothing to be done, I guess. I'll just have to wait and see."  
  
He picked up the phone and dialed, and soon heard his stepson say, "Yes, father?"  
  
"Tenchi's bringing someone home with her," Grandfather said simply.  
  
"What?" Nobuyuki squeaked, "You mean she has a boyfriend?"  
  
"No," and Grandfather smiled slightly, "but she may just have a girlfriend."  
  
There was a long moment of silence at that, then, "What?!"  
  
Not too far away from the shrine buildings themselves, out in the center of a small pond, a majestic tree rises up towards the sky, wrapped around with ropes. A rainbow light flows down the veins of one of the leaves, striking down at the pond, then another. Soon dozens of leaves are shining bolts of rainbow light down at the pond, reflecting them up into the night sky. A signal, beamed out into the darkness of space.  
  
The next morning, Tenchi wasn't too terribly surprised when Grandfather announced that Ryouko had permission to stay with Tenchi in the city. Her father was such a pervert, he was probably looking forward to having a unrelated young lady under his roof!  
  
"You have the oddest look on your face," Ryouko asked her suspiciously.  
  
Tenchi sighed, "When my father tries to take advantage, try not to kill him."  
  
"When, not if?" Ryouko smirked.  
  
She nodded mournfully. "You don't know my father," Tenchi shrugged.  
  
Ryouko shook her head and laughed softly. "I can handle him," she waved casually. She looked at Tenchi thoughtfully, then at the sword hilt that she kept tucked in her belt.  
  
Tenchi tilted her head to the side curiously, "What?"  
  
"Your Grandfather, he's taught you to use a sword?" Ryouko asked her. Tenchi nodded, and she smiled, "Good. Come on."  
  
With that, Ryouko strode off into the woods. Tenchi hesitated a moment, then she followed, trying to catch up with her. They walked silently for a few minutes until they reached a clearing, and Ryouko turned to wait for Tenchi to catch up.  
  
"What's going on?" Tenchi asked with a sigh.  
  
"If you're going to carry that," and Ryouko nodded to the sword, "then I'd better make sure that you know how to use it." She just had to smile to herself, thinking of the irony of her training the descendant of the man who captured her so long ago. "Hold the hilt in your hands, and concentrate," Ryouko ordered her.  
  
Tenchi closed her eyes, holding the hilt firmly in her two hands. There was a faint shimmer at first, then the sword ignited, a beam of blue light coming from the hilt. Tenchi's eyes opened, then widened in surprise, but she still maintained her control over the blade. "This is what defeated you?" Tenchi asked her softly.  
  
"Yes," Ryouko nodded. She looked at the gems on the base of the sword longingly, the gems that held much of her own power, then looked up to meet Tenchi's trusting violet eyes. 'Damn,' she thought to herself mournfully.  
  
"What is it?" Tenchi murmured, looking at the blade. Her eyes narrowed as she looked up at Ryouko, "What are you?"  
  
"I can't tell you," Ryouko said quietly, "you're not ready to hear it yet."  
  
Tenchi really looked like she wanted to argue that, but she reigned herself in. She smiled at Ryouko wryly, "You'll tell me when I am ready?"  
  
Ryouko stepped close to her, gently putting her hand on Tenchi's cheek as she leaned in close to whisper in her ear, "As soon as I can." She rose up into the air, leaving a blushing Tenchi at her feet, and simply disappeared.  
  
Tenchi stood there a moment, then shook her head as she muttered, "I don't think I understand her at all."  
  
Ryouko materialized by the shrine buildings, settling down to the ground gracefully. 'I wanted to tell her everything,' Ryouko thought to herself.  
  
Ryouko smiled slightly, thinking of when her spirit had roamed free of her physical body. She couldn't venture far from the cave, so she was pleasantly surprised when the little girl had appeared there. She watched her grow up there, the young Tenchi, a toddler, then a child, a girl, and finally the woman she had grown into.  
  
One day stuck in Ryouko's memory, when the young Tenchi had curled up on a stone by the cave and sobbed brokenly. Drawn to her, Ryouko had stroked that little head as comfortingly as she could, hoping that the child might, somehow, sense it.  
  
'I guess I've always had a soft spot for her,' Ryouko admitted. A soft clearing of the throat, and Ryouko whirled around to glare at Tenchi's smiling Grandfather. "What do you want, old man?" she barked at him.  
  
He didn't seem bothered by her tone of voice, his eyes twinkling behind his square glasses. He held up a jug, "Sake?"  
  
Ryouko smiled, "I wouldn't say no."  
  
He sat down on the wooden steps and Ryouko sat down nearby him, He poured out the first glass, handing it over, then Ryouko poured his. They looked each other in the eye, and then they both downed the cups in one smooth gulp.  
  
Grandfather puffed out his breath, "Not bad."  
  
Ryouko's cheeks had a bit of red to them as she agreed, "Pretty good." She looked over at the old man thoughtfully, "What's your name, anyway?"  
  
Tenchi's Grandfather smiled slightly, "Katsuhito Masaki."  
  
Ryouko scowled, "Don't sound familiar."  
  
Grandfather topped up Ryouko's glass, "About Tenchi..."  
  
"Yes?" Ryouko looked at him curiously.  
  
"If you can, try not to hurt her," Grandfather said quietly.  
  
Ryouko was tempted to shoot back some cheeky remark, but she saw he was dead serious. She raised the cup to her lips, paused, and said, "I'll try not to."  
  
The next day they were in the city, and the past few days seemed almost like a dream to Tenchi. She was back at her desk, her school bag beside her, and bucking the dress code by wearing a boy's uniform once again.  
  
"So you were surrounded by mummies up at the shrine?" the large boy asked. He paused, "I hope you weren't so desperate that you went out with a mummy!"  
  
"Of course not," Tenchi answered indignantly. She paused, and a little smile tugged at her lips as she added, "But I did bring one home with me."  
  
"What?" he gasped.  
  
"Class? Class!" the teacher called out from the front of the classroom. They looked up at him, and he said, "We have a new student today, and I hope you'll treat her well." He gestured, and she came in from the hallway.  
  
The girl's school uniform looked good on her, the long skirt swishing around her legs. Long blue hair sprung wildly from her head, flowing down her back while her catlike eyes swept the room. They settled on Tenchi, and she smiled.  
  
"My name is Ryouko Hakubi, and it's very nice to meet you all," she smiled and bowed. Without asking she strode between the desks, finding an empty spot beside Tenchi's seat. She settled into the chair, reached over, and gently took Tenchi's hand in her own.  
  
Author's Notes: Sorry, Ayeka's been bumped to episode number three. The last name Hakubi is Washu's, so that seemed to make sense. The spelling of Grandfather's and Tenchi's Dad are taken from my Tenchi Muyo mangas. 


	3. Chapter Three

Tenchi Muyo: No Need for Boys! Part Three  
  
Ryouko half listened to the teacher drone on as she thought back to her arrival at Tenchi's home and how Tenchi's father had greeted the two of them. Nobuyuki had crushed Tenchi to him in a hug and then vigorously slapped her on the back, declaring, "I'm so glad you've finally developed into a sexually active young woman!"  
  
"Wait a minute," Tenchi started to say, but Nobuyuki wasn't listening to her.  
  
"So you're Tenchi's girlfriend," he beamed at Ryouko and pulled her into a hug. He also took the opportunity to try for a discrete grope.  
  
"If you don't move that hand right now," Ryouko whispered into his ear, her voice coming out in a dangerous purr, "you'll never be able to use it again, understand?"  
  
Nobuyuki sprung backward, "Let me help get your things."  
  
Ryouko noticed that the teacher had finally stopped talking, and Tenchi gave her a smile. "He puts me to sleep, too," the dark haired woman admitted.  
  
They went out into the densely packed school hallways, and Ryouko quickly noticed two very important things. One, that most of the girls seemed to adore Tenchi, and two, that Tenchi was, thankfully, mostly unaware of it.  
  
"Are these halls always this crowded?" Ryouko asked. A young man ran right into her, and Ryouko's eyes flared blood red as she glared down at him. The suddenly pale boy gulped loudly then fled down the hallway.  
  
"Usually," Tenchi sighed. 'Maybe bringing Ryouko to school wasn't such a good idea after all?' she thought to herself ruefully.  
  
Ryouko noticed the sigh and smiled at her impishly, "Look at it this way, he probably won't ever do that again."  
  
"Please try not to do that too often," Tenchi asked Ryouko quietly, but she softened the request with a little smile.  
  
They weren't able to sit together in the next class, and Ryouko found herself sitting by one of the other girls. The little blonde looked across the room at Tenchi adoringly, so Ryouko decided to try asking her, "Why is Tenchi Masaki so popular, anyway?"  
  
"You don't know?" the girl looked at her in surprise.  
  
Ryouko settled on a half truth, "I just moved here."  
  
"Tenchi-sama is the captain of the kendo team," the girl beamed, "and she's won the district championship twice!"  
  
'I should have guessed that,' Ryouko thought. "Is that why she's allowed to wear the boy's school uniform, too?" she asked.  
  
"Tenchi-sama wore that even before she won the kendo prizes," the blonde haired girl gazed at Tenchi adoringly.  
  
'Tenchi's a bit of a rebel,' Ryouko thought, and looked up to meet Tenchi's eye. She smiled at her warmly, and Ryouko smiled back.  
  
"She smiled at you," the blonde haired girl murmured in surprise.  
  
Once the class ended Ryouko gratefully returned to Tenchi's side, while the blonde darted over to talk to her friends. Soon the whole mob of young ladies were looking over at the two of them curiously. And it didn't take very long at all for the rumor about Tenchi smiling at the blue haired girl to spread all across the school.  
  
Far above the Earth, out into the darkness of space, the ship appeared. It's hull was shaped wood, resembling the seagoing vessels of Earth's past. Inside, in a chamber that more resembled a garden than a command center, voices begin to speak.  
  
"Removing from stasis field," one voice, seemingly coming from a man sized, wooden pillar painted with a red symbol on one side of a gigantic tree, "restoring temporal flow to galactic normal."  
  
Between the two pillars a hatch opened within the trunk of a massive tree. A young woman, long purple hair flowing over her shoulders, stood there frozen. As the pillars spoke mist blew around her, color slowly returning to her face and the formal, heavy robes she wore.  
  
Her eyes opened, and she looked around her curiously. "Have you found signs of my elder brother, Yosho?" she asked.  
  
The gem mounted on the blue decorated pillar glowed, "I'm sorry Princess Ayeka, but it was the energy signature of Ryouko on a nearby world that triggered your awakening from stasis."  
  
Ayeka's eyes narrowed as she gazed at a blue green world on the monitor screen, "Which planet is that?"  
  
"Colony world number 0315," The red painted one answered, "called by it's natives Earth."  
  
Ayeka's eyes flashed with anger, "We must bring Ryouko back to Jurai and put her on trial for her crimes."  
  
The blue painted pillar sounded a bit sheepish, "Princess Ayeka, the statute of limitations on Ryouko's crimes will come into effect galactic standard time 00432," it paused a moment before adding, "or in five seconds."  
  
"What?" Ayeka blurted, as a count down appeared on the screen before her.  
  
One it counted down to zero the red pillar said apologetically, "As of this moment, the galaxy wanted file of Ryouko had been destroyed."  
  
"How can this be..." Ayeka growled.  
  
"The statute of limitations was put into place by a decision of the holy council of Jurai..." the blue offered tentatively.  
  
"Ryouko should be wanted eternally," Ayeka shook her head, declaring, "We're going after her anyway!"  
  
"But Princess Ayeka," the red started.  
  
"Azaka! Kamidake!" Ayeka gave both pillars a glare, "We are going after her!"  
  
"Yes, ma'am," both Azaka and Kamidake loudly declared. "Air shield activated, beginning descent," the reports came, and the ship began to descend to Earth.  
  
Ryouko looked up to the sky from where a group of young ladies were unsuccessfully trying to grill her about her relationship with Tenchi. "Oh, no," Ryouko murmured, and swiftly pushed her way out of the crush of girls to go find Tenchi.  
  
Tenchi smiled, then her expression grew serious as she saw the look on Ryouko's face. "What's wrong?" she asked.  
  
"Trouble," Ryouko answered. She extended her hand to Tenchi and demanded, "Give me your balls!"  
  
There was a moment of dead silence as Tenchi looked at her oddly. "Sorry, don't have any," she finally replied.  
  
Ryouko blinked, then laughed once she got it. "Sorry," she chuckled, "I meant the gems on the base of your sword."  
  
"What do you..." Tenchi started to ask her, when a massive gust of air blew down on them from directly above.  
  
It dropped down from the sky slowly, a massive barge made entirely of elegantly sculpted wood. It came to a stop and hovered directly above the school, beams of light shining downward on to the buildings below.  
  
"Miss Ryouko," the almost pleasant sounding voice rang out over the entire school, "I know you're down there. Surrender yourself, now."  
  
The students, of course, panicked. Teens ran from one end of the school grounds to the other, most of them yelling their heads off. A few did try to approach Tenchi and Ryouko, but their twin glares soon drove them off.  
  
"Ayeka," Ryouko murmured softly, recognizing the voice instantly.  
  
Tenchi had the sword in her hand almost without thinking, igniting the blade with a single thought. "Friend of yours?" she asked Ryouko dryly.  
  
"Not exactly," Ryouko smiled wryly, "she's the sister of Yosho, and I think she's here to finish the job he started."  
  
"You were all from outer space," Tenchi murmured softly. It took a lot of effort to keep her voice calm as Tenchi asked, "And you need the gems for?"  
  
"To summon my ship," Ryouko answered him simply, "and fight her on more even terms."  
  
"How do I do it," Tenchi asked, "and how may of the gems do you need?"  
  
"Just point the hilt at me and then wish that they be returned," Ryouko started to say, and hesitated for a moment. She could always lie, tell Tenchi that she needed all three gems to operate it, but... "And I only need one."  
  
"Right," Tenchi let the blade disappear, and then pointed the hilt at Ryouko, her face scrunched up in concentration.  
  
Ryouko cupped her hands in a receiving gesture, eyes closed and her face strangely at peace. There was a burning flare of power on her one wrist, then she was shocked to feel another one on the other wrist! She opened up her eyes and looked down in surprise at the twin red gems that glittered on each of her wrists.  
  
"Why?" Ryouko looked up at Tenchi in surprise.  
  
Tenchi shrugged as she said, "Because you were honest."  
  
'Make a note not to underestimate her," Ryouko smiled at Tenchi. She crossed her wrists, the two gems glowing softly as she said, "Awake."  
  
Beneath the lake nearby the shrine, the waters began to move. Black gems began to move, glowing redly as functions began to be restored. Leaving a massive wave in it's passing the ship rose up, a crystal sculpture in black and red.  
  
"Come, Ryo-Ohki," Ryouko threw up her hand, and in moments it arrived, putting itself between Ayeka's ship and the school. "Let's go," Ryouko took Tenchi's arm and they disappeared from the school field.  
  
They dropped down onto the obsidian floor of the bridge, and Ryo- Ohki's cheerful catlike cry echoed out to them, "Myah!"  
  
Tenchi looked up at the monitor, at the massive wooden ship that hung just above them. Small, wooden devices came right out of the surface of the ship, and somehow Tenchi just knew they were some kind of weapon. "We've got to get away from the school, there's too many innocents there," she said simply.  
  
"You heard her, Ryo-Ohki, let's go," Ryouko cried.  
  
"Myah!" Ryo-Ohki answered happily, and they swiftly slid out from Ayeka's ship and away.  
  
"Why aren't they fighting," Ayeka murmured, watching the black and red battleship flee, their ship following fast.  
  
"I don't know, Princess Ayeka," Azaka answered.  
  
"Let's try containment," Ayeka murmured softly.  
  
"Yes, ma'am," Kamidake barked.  
  
Ryo-Ohki jerked to a stop, twin rings of wooden tubes circling it. Ryouko was pulled off her feet, power crackling around her as she gasped out to Tenchi, "Stay back!"  
  
Tenchi reached out cautiously, feeling the electricity charging the air. She ignited the sword once more, "This is going to be rough." She jumped up then swung down, cutting as close to Ryouko as she could. There was a massive flash of light, and Ryouko fell, smoking faintly, to the floor.  
  
Ayeka cried out on her bridge, staggering slightly. "What happened?" she gasped.  
  
"They've broken the containment somehow," a slightly awed Azaka answered.  
  
The communication screen came on, and a hated face appeared before Ayeka. "Ryouko," she growled, then she trailed off in surprise. "Yosho?" she gasped softly.  
  
The young woman standing by Ryouko smiled slightly, "My name is Tenchi Masaki." Quietly she added, "Can we talk?"  
  
To be continued...  
  
Author's Note: Some of the material from this episode came from Tenchi OVA #2, freely adapted for the purposes of this story. 


	4. Chapter Four

Tenchi Muyo: No Need for Boys! Part Four  
  
Tenchi offered her hand, quickly helping the still smoking Ryouko up off the floor. "Are you all right?" she asked her fiercely.  
  
Ryouko smiled slightly, "I didn't know you cared." She brushed herself off, looking down shyly as she said, "I'm fine."  
  
"You're my friend," Tenchi shrugged as if that explained it all. She looked out at the alien ship following behind them, "Can we talk to them?"  
  
Ryouko looked over at the dark haired woman thoughtfully. 'Friends,' she thought to herself wryly. She smiled slightly at Tenchi's question and explained, "I rather doubt Ayeka wants to hear anything I have to say."  
  
Tenchi shrugged, "It's worth a try."  
  
"Ryo-Ohki, establish a communications link with Ayeka's ship," Ryouko instructed.  
  
The communication screen came on, and Ayeka's face appeared just above them. "Ryouko," she growled out angrily, then she trailed off in surprise. "Yosho?" she gasped softly, staring at Tenchi as if she were a ghost.  
  
Tenchi looked up at her, and for a moment was tempted to deceive her. She could try to pass as Yosho, maybe trick Ayeka into lowering her defenses. But..., she sighed softly, feeling her essential honesty rearing it's head.  
  
With a slight smile Tenchi said, "My name is Tenchi Masaki." A bit more quietly she asked her, "Can we talk?"  
  
Ayeka looked visibly flustered, "Tenchi? That was the name of Yosho's sword..." She shook her head, peering intently at Tenchi. Ayeka didn't look very happy about it, but she said, "It seems we do have things to discuss."  
  
"I'm impressed," Ryouko murmured to Tenchi softly.  
  
Seeing the irritated look on Ayeka's face Tenchi quickly said, "Could you follow us, please? We'll go to my Grandfather's shrine to talk." She found herself looking at Ayeka, wondering who the young woman reminded her of.  
  
Keeping her temper firmly in check Ayeka said, "I'll follow you."  
  
"Assuming you can keep up," Ryouko smirked. They heard a muffled scream of rage as the communications connection was cut.  
  
Tenchi sighed, "Do you have to tease her that way?"  
  
Ryouko smiled, "But it's so fun." She looked up, "Ryo-Ohki, let's head back to the shrine. Fast, but let Ayeka keep up."  
  
"Myah!" Ryo-Ohki answered cheerfully.  
  
The two ships sped across the sky over Japan, quickly arriving at the shrine's lake. Ayeka's ship gently settled down into the water, floating there just like a sailing ship. Ryo-Ohki hovered above the shore, transporting Tenchi and Ryouko down in a sphere of scarlet energy. Then Ryo- Ohki itself began to shrink, compressing inward to drop down in front of them as...  
  
...a fuzzy little cabbit. "Myah!" Ryo-Ohki said proudly.  
  
Tenchi blinked as the little creature bounded over and began to rub up against her leg happily. "The spaceship becomes this?" she looked down, smiling slightly.  
  
Ryouko elbowed her gently, "Later."  
  
Tenchi looked up, "Oh, right."  
  
Out on the water a golden sphere of energy rose up from the ship, skimming across the water to reach their side. It dissipated, revealing two young women, Ayeka and someone else. Tenchi looked at Ayeka, her long dark hair blowing in the breeze, then down at the younger girl, clearly related despite the much lighter hair color.  
  
"My name is Princess Ayeka of Jurai," she declared regally, "and this is my little sister, Princess Sasami."  
  
Sasami waved cheerfully, the smile on the light blue haired girl's face quite contagious as she said, "Hi!" Without really thinking about it, Tenchi waved back.  
  
Ryouko had to chuckle softly at that. She looked over at Ayeka and, for Tenchi's sake, tried her best to be civil to her. "It's been awhile, Princess. So what are you doing out in the boonies like this?" she asked with a smile.  
  
"I was looking for my missing brother," Ayeka ignored her attempt at civility and continued on quite coldly, "but instead I had the great misfortune of running into you." Ayeka looked over at Tenchi and added, "What I do not understand is why someone so obviously of Jurai descent would be associating with this... criminal space trash."  
  
"A former criminal," Tenchi said quietly, "and I think that's something we have to discuss."  
  
"How dare you..." Ayeka started, when the heard a man clear his throat.  
  
"Grandfather," Tenchi smiled.  
  
Katsuhito Masaki looked over at Ayeka and Sasami then smiled at his granddaughter, "Are these friends of yours, Tenchi?"  
  
Ayeka had a very odd look on her face as she looked at the smiling older man. "Have we... met before?" she asked him softly.  
  
The older man chuckled at that, "I think I would remember meeting someone like you." He bowed slightly, "My name is Katsuhito Masaki."  
  
Ayeka bowed in return, "My name is Ayeka, this is my sister Sasami." The little girl smiled and bowed as well, looking quite cute.  
  
Taking advantage of her Grandfather's arrival Tenchi spoke up, "Could we use a room up at the shrine for a bit? We have some things to discuss."  
  
"Of course," Katsuhito nodded, "and I'd be honored to join you."  
  
They all trooped up to the shrine together, Tenchi trying to make conversation while also doing her best at keeping the peace between Ryouko and Ayeka. The two ladies did not like each other at all, that was made crystal clear.  
  
'At least someone's getting along well,' Tenchi thought, watching Grandfather and Sasami talking happily, Ryo-Ohki bouncing along beside them.  
  
Up in the shrine they gathered around a table, and some time was spent in pouring tea and setting out snacks. Tenchi, Ayeka and Sasami sat there formally, looking rather uncomfortable. Ryouko lounged sideways, and Katsuhito looked perfectly at ease as he drank his tea.  
  
"You came here chasing after Ryouko," Tenchi said quietly, "why?"  
  
Ayeka looked across at Ryouko, her eyes dark with hatred as she said, "After many years of criminal activities Ryouko attacked my homeworld, Jurai, leaving fire and destruction in her wake. My brother battled her, chasing her off Jurai and following her to this place, I think."  
  
Tenchi looked over at Ryouko, who met her gaze steadily. Ryouko thought about saying that Ayeka was lying, denying that she had done anything wrong. But looking into those eyes all she could do was nod slightly, acknowledging the truth.  
  
"Myah," Ryo-Ohki added softly.  
  
Tenchi turned back to Ayeka and asked her, "So you want to bring her back to your home, to put her on trial for her crimes?"  
  
"Indeed," Ayeka found herself looking at the young woman with a bit more respect. 'This Tenchi is really quite attractive,' she thought admiringly.  
  
"That's really quite interesting," Katsuhito noted softly, "do your people not have a statute of limitations on crimes?"  
  
Ayeka's cheeks went red, and she looked down uncomfortably.  
  
"Ha!" Ryouko jumped up with a grin, about to say something more when Tenchi tugged her back down to her seat.  
  
"There is a statute of limitations on Jurai," Tenchi said quietly, "and it's run out on Ryouko's crimes, hasn't it?" Tenchi hesitated, then looked over at her Grandfather, then at Sasami.  
  
Taking the cue Grandfather asked the little girl, "Would you like to help me get more tea?"  
  
"Sure," Sasami beamed, and the two of them went off together.  
  
More gently Tenchi said, "Ayeka, Ryouko has spent the last seven hundred years sealed in a cave by my ancestor's sword. That's punishment enough, isn't it?"  
  
Ayeka's eyes glittered, not with anger but with tears, "She took my brother away from me! There's no punishment enough..."  
  
"Wait a minute," Tenchi blinked, an odd look on her face, "you and Ryouko have both lived seven hundred years, right? So why couldn't Yosho?"  
  
Ryouko's eyes narrowed in thought, "His ship was crippled when we fought, but he didn't look too badly hurt after sealing me in the cave."  
  
"He might still be alive," Ayeka murmured softly. Tenchi looked at her in this calmer, less enraged look, and realized who she reminded her of. Ayeka looked like Tenchi's mother, at least, what she could remember of her.  
  
"Who's alive?" Sasami asked curiously.  
  
"Our brother," Ayeka smiled slightly at her little sister. She looked up at Tenchi, then over to her Grandfather, "Lord Katsuhito, could I and my sister stay here, while we search for our brother?"  
  
"I don't see why not," Katsuhito Masaki smiled cheerfully.  
  
'I can think of a few reasons,' Tenchi thought to herself with a sigh. Ryouko didn't look terribly pleased about it, either.  
  
"Lady Tenchi," Ayeka turned to look at her gravely, "can you use the sword that you carry?"  
  
Tenchi took the wooden hilt in her hands, then she ignited the blade of light by the force of her will. "Yes, I can," she said quite unnecessarily.  
  
"The sword may remain with you for now," Ayeka said, "but when I find my brother, he may want it back."  
  
"It was his to start with," Tenchi said simply, even though she felt a slight twinge. She had gotten used to having the sword around, and realized that she might miss it when it was gone.  
  
"I'll call your father," Grandfather smiled at Tenchi, "let him know you're up here."  
  
Tenchi got an odd look on her face, and groaned softly.  
  
"What's wrong?" Sasami asked her cheerfully.  
  
"How in the world am I going to explain what happened at school?" Tenchi sighed.  
  
To be continued.... 


	5. Chapter Five

Tenchi Muyo: No Need for Boys!  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own any of the characters from this fanfic, which is probably a good thing. Some of the material for this chapter was freely adapted from both Tenchi Muyo OVA #2 and 3, but any fanservice was added in by me. ^_^  
  
Part Five  
  
There was near perfect silence in the clearing as the older, gray haired man and the younger, black haired girl gazed at each other intensely from their perches on the small wooden poles. The older man suddenly became a blur of motion and the woman leapt straight up into the air.  
  
Krak! The wooden practice swords came together loudly even as they both dropped down. They both landed, perfectly balanced on their toes. They almost became a blur, sword blows being parried expertly, the woman handling the older man's attacks quite expertly. Then the older man simply seemed to disappear.  
  
She moved by instinct, not letting herself think too much as she brought her own sword up and over her shoulder to lay across her back. Clack! The force of the attack echoed up her arms, and she could almost feel the honest surprise of the man behind her. Bonelessly she dropped, sweeping her leg across the older man's and sending him crashing to the ground even as she brought her sword to the ready at his neck.  
  
Katsuhito Masaki looked up at his granddaughter, who seemed almost like a warrior from a bygone age. 'She looks just like a samurai,' he thought admiringly and then he said to her with a smile, "Not bad, Tenchi."  
  
Tenchi offered her hand, pulling him up with a single pull. "I just got lucky," the dark haired young woman answered simply.  
  
"Incredible," a wide eyed Sasami murmured softly, her twin light blue ponytails blowing in the gentle breeze.  
  
"The same fighting patterns our family used in training back on Jurai," Ayeka said in awe, her own darker purple hair swinging behind her in a more orderly way.  
  
From a branch in a nearby tree Ryouko watched everything that was going on below her, the expression on her face very thoughtful. 'That wasn't luck,' she thought, watching the two of them beginning to fight once again, 'she's really good.' A impish little smile appeared on her face, and the blue haired woman teleported.  
  
"I wonder if they passed the knowledge down in their family," Ayeka speculated, not sensing the presence behind her.  
  
"Well hello, Princess," Ryouko drawled, "what are you doing here?"  
  
"Ryouko?!" Ayeka whirled around to glare at her, "How long have you been spying?"  
  
"Long enough," Ryouko smirked back.  
  
"What are you implying?" Ayeka demanded.  
  
Ryouko looked out at Tenchi fighting, and her expression became almost fond as she said, "Tenchi's pretty good, isn't she?"  
  
Ayeka followed her gaze, looking over at the graceful young woman working so hard at developing her skills. "Yes, she is," Ayeka admitted quietly.  
  
Ryouko just had to grin at the fascinated look on Ayeka's face. "So you're interested in her, too," she chuckled softly.  
  
Ayeka went red, "What? I am not!"  
  
Ryouko gave her a airy little wave, "We'll see." She strode over to where the two were practicing and called out, "You two going to be done, soon?"  
  
Tenchi smoothly blocked another strike even as she answered, "Yeah, I think so." She smiled at her Grandfather, "We wouldn't want to miss one of Sasami's lunches."  
  
"You grow wise, Tenchi," her Grandfather agreed, putting his sword away. Tenchi kept her guard up, but it seemed that they were finished for now.  
  
Ryo-Ohki emerged from the woods, and was soon bounding along beside Sasami as they walked back up to the shrine. It had been an interesting few days, since Ayeka and her sister had arrived. Shortly after they arrived there her father Nobuyuki had called, explaining that the school was in a tizzy over the apparent alien abduction of Tenchi and Ryouko, as witnessed by a large portion of the student body. They were going to have to lay low for a little awhile, which meant all of them were staying at the shrine for the near future.  
  
The big problem in this situation was, Ryouko and Ayeka hated each other's guts with a passion that was almost holy. So keeping them both under one roof without one killing the other was going to be... interesting. Tenchi had already begun devising various techniques to keep them as far apart as possible.  
  
'Like now," Tenchi thought to herself mournfully. Keeping herself between Ryouko and Ayeka while they walked home seemed to keep them only taking verbal pot-shots at each other, rather than any real ones. Listening to them talk she was suddenly reminded of the Chinese ideogram for trouble: two women under one roof.  
  
"Tenchi," Ayeka asked softly, "I was wondering if you could show me some of the older parts of the shrine? There might be other clues to my brother's location."  
  
"Oh ho! Trying to get alone with my Tenchi again? Wasn't yesterday enough for you?" Ryouko asked with an impish grin.  
  
"Myah," Ryo-Ohki perked up at the mention of yesterday.  
  
"What do you mean, your Tenchi? And how did you know about yesterday?" Ayeka asked.  
  
"My link to Ryo-Ohki lets me see anything she does," Ryouko smiled dangerously, "and I certainly got a good view of both of you."  
  
"What does she mean, Ayeka?" Sasami asked the fiercely blushing girl curiously.  
  
Tenchi sighed, thinking about what happened to them. Tenchi and her grandfather were practicing like today when a watching Ayeka had lost her balance and fallen down a short hill. Her startled cry had brought Tenchi and her Grandfather running, but she only hurt her leg. Tenchi had tried to carry her home, but the two of them had been caught out in a rain storm. The storage shed they took refuge in was cramped, and Tenchi had started up a fire in an old box to dry them out.  
  
Tenchi had stripped down out of her soaking clothes to her bra and panties first, laying out her shirt and pants over a bench to dry. Ayeka had been a bit more hesitant, but finally stripped off her heavy robes down to a simple clingy bodysuit. She had moved closer a bit to the fire when something had jumped at her!  
  
"Eeeek!" Ayeka screamed, twisting about as a brown and furry bundle clung frantically to the front of her underthings.  
  
Tenchi ran over, her sword igniting in a flare of energy while the fluff ball had ran away from Ayeka's cry of fear, and then Tenchi stood in front of her protectively. A little head popped out of a corner and went "Myah," at them quite plaintively.  
  
"It's just Ryo-Ohki," Tenchi smiled in relief. She felt a presence, and turned back to see Ayeka right behind her. The other girl stepped back, a blush to her cheeks as she saw how close they had been standing.  
  
"Excuse me," Ayeka blurted out.  
  
Tenchi blinked, not quite sure what was happening. "It's all right," she smiled gently at Ayeka, but the girl just seemed to blush harder, looking away from the bra and panty clad woman standing in front of her.  
  
"Myah," Ryo-Ohki said mournfully, plainly wet from the rain.  
  
Quickly grasping the opportunity to change the subject Tenchi knelt down to say to the little creature, "You really scared her, you know."  
  
"Myah, myah," Ryo-Ohki sounded just a bit apologetic. The little cabbit sat by the fire for a few moments, drying itself off, while Tenchi and Ayeka sat there uncomfortably, waiting for their clothes to dry out.  
  
"How long have you and Ryouko known each other?" Ayeka finally asked, the sound of the rain drumming down on the wooden roof in the background.  
  
"A week or so," Tenchi said, feeling a bit of relief that Ayeka was finally talking. Her face seemed to light up as she said with a smile, "It seems longer, somehow."  
  
"Just a week," Ayeka murmured, and shook her head. "I just don't understand how you can be friends with her, Tenchi," she said softly.  
  
Tenchi looked over at Ayeka, the fire lighting both their faces in the otherwise mostly dark little shed. "I guess I just like her," she finally answered her simply, "I like the woman I occasionally see under the bad attitude and all the teasing." She finally just had to shrug, unable to explain it to Ayeka any better than that.  
  
"Myah," Ryo-Ohki was scratching at a basket sitting at the side of the shed, before looking over at the two of them entreatigly.  
  
"You want this?" Tenchi asked, moving over to fish out a carrot.  
  
"Myah, myah," Ryo-Ohki batted at the carrot like a cat when Tenchi waved it above her, then she dropped the carrot in front of the cabbit. Ryo- Ohki began to munch on it, chomping away until she raised her head to happily exclaim, "Myah!"  
  
Ayeka laughed softly, "The silly little thing."  
  
"A starship that becomes a cabbit," Tenchi chuckled, "and it likes carrots. Two weeks ago, I don't think I could have imagined any of this happening to me."  
  
The sound of the rain hitting the roof began to ease off, finally coming to a stop. Ayeka looked at Tenchi, "Do you think it's over?"  
  
Tenchi got up, not really noticing how Ayeka's gaze lingered on her underwear clad form, and pushed open the door a bit. The clouds were moving, the sun finally breaking through the dark clouds. She turned back to Ayeka, "Looks like the storm is over."  
  
Tenchi was brought back to the present when Ayeka exclaimed, "I can believe you would actually spy on us!"  
  
"Why, are you shy about your body?" Ryouko asked. With a bit of a drawl she added, "You certainly weren't shy with Tenchi."  
  
"You shameless, I ought to..." Ayeka growled.  
  
Ryouko turned her back to Ayeka and patted her bottom invitingly as she cheerfully invited her, "Take your best shot."  
  
"What are you, some kind of masochist?" Ayeka snarled.  
  
Ryouko smirked, "Actually, I'm more of a sadist."  
  
Tenchi sweatdropped.  
  
To be continued... 


	6. Chapter Six

Disclaimer: I still don't own any of the characters from this fanfic, not even the female Tenchi. Some of the material for this story was taken from both Tenchi Muyo OVA #3 and #4, all freely adapted for the purposes of this story  
  
Tenchi Muyo: No Need for Boys! Part Six  
  
They all made it back to the shrine and started eating their lunch without any other major blowups happening, thankfully. Tenchi ate her meal with a great deal of enjoyment, all the while listening to Ryouko and Ayeka verbally sparing back and forth across the table. 'They sure seem to enjoy doing that,' she thought, trying not to smile.  
  
"Tenchi, while we were walking I saw a large tree standing out in the middle of the forest," Ayeka asked to her softly.  
  
Tenchi finished her mouthful, "That probably was the miracle tree of the shrine. The stories say that it grants wishes and even heals the sick."  
  
Ayeka nodded thoughtfully, "Could you take me out to see it?"  
  
Ryouko chuckled softly.  
  
"What?" Ayeka shot her a suspicious look, but Ryouko didn't say anything, just sat there with a impish little smile on her face.  
  
"Why don't I take both of you out there?" Tenchi quickly made the suggestion. She could see where this was going, and thought she should try to head the fight off.  
  
"Could I come too?" Sasami asked her cheerfully.  
  
"Myah!" Ryo-Ohki piped up.  
  
Watching all this Ryouko just had to smile. 'She's quite the little peacemaker, my Tenchi,' she thought. Aloud she said, "Let's all go, then."  
  
Ayeka didn't look too terribly pleased at having the whole gang coming along, but she didn't say anything about it. Instead she smiled at them weakly, "Why not."  
  
The food was finished off, then they went out into the afternoon sunlight. The forest was cool around them, but Tenchi felt something odd, as if she was being watched. She turned a moment to see her Grandfather slipping back inside, a slight smile on his face.  
  
'What was that about?' Tenchi wondered.  
  
"This place is so beautiful," Sasami murmured, looking around her with a smile.  
  
Ayeka had to nod slightly as she admitted, "It's not as attractive as Jurai, but these hills do have a certain... rustic charm to them."  
  
"Don't do us any favors, Princess," Ryouko said dryly.  
  
Tenchi tried not to smile at that. Heading off an potential explosion from Ayeka she quickly said, "We're getting pretty close to the tree."  
  
They emerged from the path, and it rose up in front of them from the middle of a carefully tended pond. Strung with ropes and bearing an ancient majesty, it was easy to see how the old tree could have such stories being told about it.  
  
Tenchi, Ayeka, Sasami and Ryo-Ohki all stepped from stone to stone over to the tree, while Ryouko simply flew over the pond and descended to stand by the tree. Ayeka looked up at it, laying her hand on the bark thoughtfully before she circled the massive trunk.  
  
"So what's the verdict?" Ryouko finally asked her impatiently.  
  
Ayeka shot a glare at her that would have simply killed a lesser being.  
  
But before she could say anything Sasami piped up, "It's Funaho!"  
  
"Funaho?" Tenchi blinked.  
  
Looking a bit disapointed at the spoiling of her dramatic moment Ayeka said, "Yes, this is Funaho, the Great Tree that was the heart of my brother's ship."  
  
"This was part of a starship?" Tenchi asked as she looked up at the massive tree with an odd expression on her face.  
  
"Yes," Ayeka nodded, "but it has taken root now, and can no longer fly." She looked over at Tenchi and asked her, "Could I use the sword?"  
  
Silently, Tenchi slipped it from her belt and passed it over to the princess.  
  
Ayeka held the front of the weapon to the tree trunk, and a spark seemed to pass between them. Rainbow beams of light began to fall all around them, and it suddenly felt like they were falling, even though they were standing still.  
  
"What the..?" Ryouko's energy blade ignited in her hand, even as Tenchi took up a battle posture right beside her, ready to help defend them all.  
  
"Calm yourselves," Ayeka quickly said, gesturing reassuringly to both young women, "we are just experiencing the memories of the ship itself."  
  
"Wow," Sasami murmured, wide eyed, as Ryo-Ohki soared by them, exchanging energy fire with a Jurai ship in hot persuit.  
  
"Myrowwrrr," the real Ryo-Ohki hissed out softly, crouching down with her fur standing on end as she recognized her old enemy.  
  
The two ships fell towards a small blue and white world, still exchanging weapons fire until a particularly viscious attack sent both ships twisting down through the planet's atmosphere. An great impact and a sudden explosion filled their vision, and Tenchi instantly realized where the lake near the shrine had come from.  
  
Even without their ships, the two warriors chose to fight onward. Prince Yosho weilded the sword expertly, while Ryouko fought with a kind of bezerk fury, her eyes blazing blood red. Finally, the purple-black haired man gained an advantage over her, his violet eyes narrowing as he stuck his blade right into Ryouko's chest.  
  
Tenchi visibly winced at that, wonderig how much that must have hurt her. She looked over, and noticed that Ryouko's face was a bit pale, her hand resting just above where she had been stabbed so very violently.  
  
The images flickered, then they gradually faded away as Ayeka getly drew the sword back from the tree trunk. "Thank you, Lady Tenchi," Ayeka said quite formally, "now I feel quite certain that my brother is alive."  
  
"And we will go find him," Sasami murmured, suddenly seeming so much older than the little girl that she was.  
  
Tenchi nodded and quietly said, "Whatever I can do to help." Ayeka smiled up at her sunnily, pressing the sword into her hands.  
  
Ryouko didn't say anything at that, simply rising up into the air and then just disappearing from their sight as she teleported away.  
  
As soon as they got back to the shrine, Tenchi left the girls talking with her Grandfather and went out looking for Ryouko. It didn't take her long, either, finding her sunning herself, laying on top of a rocky outcropping by the cave that she had been imprisoned in.  
  
As soon as she saw Tenchi walking towards her Ryouko growled out, "Why are you offering to help her?"  
  
"A sense of duty, I guess. Honor, family, all that good stuff," Tenchi smiled at her. She sat down on the stone by where Ryouko lay and added a bit wryly, "That doesn't mean I have to like Princess Ayeka very much, however."  
  
Ryouko sat up, blinking at Tenchi in surprise, "You don't like her?"  
  
"She's rude, arrogant and condescending," Tenchi answered her with a pained expression on her face, "what's not to like?" She stretched out, and with a little smile added, "I can tolerate rudeness, but the other two..."  
  
Ryouko raised an eyebrow, "Was that a crack about me?"  
  
Tenchi looked innocent, "Would I do that?"  
  
Ryouko noticed that their hands were laying close together, and took the opportunity to lay her's on top of Tenchi's. "Whenever I think I have you figured out," she smiled slightly, "you manage to surprise me, Tenchi."  
  
"Good," Tenchi smiled back at her. She tilted her head to the side, "Do you want to head back up to the shrine?"  
  
Ryouko shook her head slightly, "I think I'll stay out here, sunbathe a bit longer."  
  
Tenchi hesitated a moment, then laid her body down beside Ryouko's. "Would you mind if I join you?" she asked softly.  
  
Ryouko smiled back, "I'd love to have you."  
  
It was a few weeks later that they had an unexpected guest up at the shrine. Not unexpected to Tenchi, of course, but she had been hoping that her father wouldn't turn up there too terribly soon. Nobuyuki pulled up in a large camper, and stepped out with a happy smile on his face, his glasses gleaming and clothes spotless.  
  
Just looking at him Tenchi knew that meant trouble.  
  
The last time she had seen that look on his face was when Tenchi had brought Ryouko home. Later that night, Nobuyuki had actually climbed up the outside of the building, videocamera in hand, to sit on the ledge outside her window and film anything that might be going on.  
  
The light from the top of the camera woke Tenchi up from a sound sleep, so she slipped from the bed and quietly made her way across the room.She popped up, suddenly slamming the window wide open and yelled out, "Boo!"  
  
"Yearg!" Nobuyuki lost hig grip on the ledge and the plummeted to the ground below with a loud thump. Tenchi waited a moment to see if he was all right, then went back to bed.  
  
"What was that?" Ryouko asked drowsily.  
  
"My hentai father," Tenchi sighed.  
  
Tenchi was jerked back to the present by her Grandfather's voice asking him, "Well Nobuyuki, what brings you here today?"  
  
Nobuyuki smiled cheerfully, "I've arranged for a special treat for Tenchi and the other girls! We're going out to the hotsprings together."  
  
Tenchi looked at the mini-van, then over at her father. She thought about a long car trip with Ryouko and Ayeka in one vehicle, and how may things could go wrong with that little senario. 'We are so doomed,' she thought with a little sigh.  
  
To be continued... 


	7. Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: I still don't own any of the characters from this fanfic, which is probably a good thing for all concerned. Some of the material for this chapter was freely adapted from Tenchi Muyo OVA #4, but any additional fanservice was added in by me. ^_^  
  
Tenchi Muyo: No Need for Boys! Part Seven  
  
Tenchi hesitated a moment, and Sasami looked up at her entreatingly. "Please, Tenchi, could we go?" she asked her sweetly.  
  
Looking down Tenchi gazed at those wide eyes and cute face and knew that she didn't stand a chance. "All right," she smiled, "we'll go."  
  
"Yeah!" Sasami cried happily, running towards the shrine to pack their clothes.  
  
"Wait up, Sasami," Ayeka followed, but not before giving a lingering glance at Tenchi.  
  
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Ryouko stepped up beside Tenchi to ask.  
  
"No," Tenchi smiled at her wryly, "but when has that ever stopped us?"  
  
Ryouko snickered softly, "Good point."  
  
"C'mon, lets go talk to my Dad," Tenchi sighed. They walked up to Noboyuki together as Tenchi called out, "Father?"  
  
"Yes, Tenchi?" he turned to smile, but being momentarily distracted by the rise of Ryouko's cleavage. Noticing the glares he was getting, he quickly focused on his daughter.  
  
Quite seriously Tenchi said, "Don't even think of trying any of your peeping tom stuff on this trip, because if I catch you, I'll beat you to death with a wooden practice sword. Understood?"  
  
"Why Tenchi, I'd never," Noboyuki replied innocently.  
  
Tenchi glared at him, and her voice dropped down to a dangerous purr as she repeated, "Am I making myself understood?"  
  
Noboyuki sweatdropped, "Right. I'll... go get the van ready." With that, he all but fled.  
  
Ryouko watched him go with a little smile, "Think that will really stop him?"  
  
Tenchi chuckled, "Maybe not, but it will slow him down."  
  
"I will find and capture the criminal Kagato!" Mihoshi threw a salute for her superior. Her blonde hair offset oddly with her dusky skin, and her wide eyes glowed with enthusiasm.  
  
"Wait, wait," her supervisor tried to say, "you only have to find him! If something happened to you, the Marshal would have my.."  
  
"It does not matter sir!" she said crisply, "I will prove myself by capturing the criminal Kagato! I need to close this communications channel and begin, over and out!"  
  
"Wait, no," the man managed to get out before he was cut off.  
  
Mihoshi narrowed her eyes, "Lets go."  
  
Getting the luggage aboard wasn't too hard, but getting everyone seated in the van was going to be a problem, Tenchi just knew it. 'If I put Ryouko or Ayeka in the front seat with Dad, he's going to try something and there's going to be a homicide,' she thought glumly.  
  
Tenchi happened to meet Sasami's wide, innocent eyes and was struck by an inspiration. "Sasami, you get to ride up front with Dad," Tenchi smiled. 'There's no way that he'd try anything with her,' she thought.  
  
Tellingly, Noboyuki looked quite disappointed.  
  
"Where should I sit, Lady Tenchi?" Ayeka asked with a charming smile.  
  
Tenchi blinked, wondering why she was laying on the charm that way. She thought wildly, "You get in the back first, I'll be next, and Ryouko last."  
  
As they climbed in Ryouko took a moment to admire Tenchi's slim form in front of her. And to admire her mind, as well. 'Tenchi knew what would happen if Ayeka and I sat side by side,' she smiled, 'she thinks fast on her feet, my Tenchi.'  
  
"How long is this trip, anyway?" Ryouko thought to ask.  
  
"Only a few hours," Noboyuki said cheerfully.  
  
Ryouko smiled a truly evil smile as she gazed over at Ayeka.  
  
Tenchi quickly leaned in to whisper, "Don't even think about it."  
  
Ryouko pouted, "You're no fun at all, Tenchi."  
  
The car trip wasn't exactly terrible, but it wasn't fun, either. Tenchi kept herself so busy moderating between a snippy Ayeka and a sly Ryouko, as well as keeping an eye on her father and Sasami that the trip just seemed to fly by.  
  
"We're here!" Sasami gave a happy squeal and bounded out to rush towards the building.  
  
"Slow down, Sasami," Ayeka climbed out with as much dignity as she could muster and followed her onwards.  
  
"Are these ladies all Tenchi's friends?" the old woman looked up at Noboyuki suspiciously. She could easy see the dirty old man hauling a group of strangers up here just to improve his chances of peeping on someone.  
  
"Yes, I think they are," he smiled, noticing Ryouko lingering to help Tenchi with the luggage.  
  
"They took off and stuck you with doing this?" Ryouko growled out angrily. She looked like she was ready to run inside and give Ayeka what for.  
  
Tenchi had to smile slightly at Ryouko jumping to her defense even as she said quietly, "I don't think she did it intentionally." Ryouko looked over at her questioningly so Tenchi explained, "She's a noblewoman, she's probably used to people doing this stuff for her. She probably didn't even really think about it."  
  
With a surprising show of strength Tenchi hefted a pile of luggage, and Ryouko swiftly grabbed the rest. "Lead the way," she grinned at Tenchi.  
  
"Thanks," Tenchi smiled back.  
  
Almost as soon as the two luggage laden women stepped in Ayeka realized her mistake. "Lady Tenchi, I.. let me help get some of those," she stammered.  
  
"It would be more helpful if you show us the room," Tenchi managed a bit breathlessly.  
  
"Right," Ayeka hurried down the hall to slide open the door to the room that all the ladies would be staying in. She watched Tenchi and Ryouko deposit the luggage there before very pointedly only apologizing to Tenchi, "I'm very sorry."  
  
An odd look passed on Tenchi's face. "Of course," she said quietly, and it looked like she was struggling to control her temper, "excuse me, I think I'll head over to the baths early, wash some of the sweat off." With that, she turned and was gone.  
  
"What.." Ayeka started to say weakly, taking a step to try to follow her only to be stopped by Ryouko's hand on her arm. "Let go of me," she pulled her arm away.  
  
"Taking cheap shots at me while Tenchi was already irritated was not a wise move, princess," Ryouko said firmly.  
  
Ayeka looked up at Ryouko, then off to where Tenchi had gone. "You could be right," she finally said quietly.  
  
"Let's just cruise around the system for awhile," Mihoshi said cheerfully.  
  
"What good would that do?" the ship's computer Yukinojo asked patiently.  
  
"We might stumble across some clues," Mihoshi explained.  
  
Yukinojo sweatdropped slightly, then paused. More intently, "There's an odd reading, on the third planet of this system."  
  
"Then let's go there," Mihoshi said decisively.  
  
Tenchi used the soap to build up a lather over her body, even as she tried to sort her wild thoughts out. 'I shouldn't have lost my temper with Ayeka that way,' she thought tiredly, 'I better go apologize to her later.' She rose smoothly, her body sleekly female as she grasped the bucket of water then poured it over her, gasping softly at the cold.  
  
With a towel wrapped around her she headed out from the bath and into the hotspring itself. Tenchi took a deep breath and sighed happily, letting the warmth soothe her body. There was a slight disturbance in the water so she turned to see who it was, only to freeze. Then turn quickly away.  
  
"Tenchi," Ryouko's amused voice came from just behind her, "what's wrong? You've seen me naked before."  
  
"That was back in the cave," Tenchi said weakly, "and you still looked like a mummy."  
  
A gentle hand tugged on Tenchi's shoulder as Ryouko said softly, "Turn around and look at me, Tenchi." A bit of amusement colored her voice as she added, "I'm certain that I don't have anything you don't."  
  
With a fierce blush Tenchi turned back to meet Ryouko's kind gaze, a slight smile tugging on her lips. She stood there proudly, her body uncovered from the swell of her generous breasts to the silvery triangle of hair down below.  
  
Tenchi looked down shyly. "I just wish I knew why my heart skips a beat when I look at you," she said very quietly.  
  
Ryouko was about to say something when they heard a cheerful voice cry out, "Tenchi, Ryouko!" Sasami beamed at them happily, Ryo-Ohki perched on top of her head as she turned back to the baths to call, "Sister, Tenchi and Ryouko are already here!" She sweatdropped slightly, as silence was her only reply.  
  
Ryouko saw Sasami run back to get Ayeka, and they could hear quiet talking. "I'd better go get her," Ryouko rose up in the air and disappeared.  
  
Remembering something Tenchi made her way over to the stone wall that separated the women's area from the men's and very carefully peered down. Only to meet her father's startled eyes. "Hello Father, how are you?" Tenchi said with a little smile.  
  
Noboyuki gasped in alarm, lost his grip on the stones, and fell back into the waters below with a loud splash. She paused a moment to see if he was alive, then headed back to where Ryouko was hauling a protesting Ayeka towards the water.  
  
"I wanted to do that," Ryouko called out with a laugh to Tenchi.  
  
"I wanted him scared, not dead," Tenchi grinned back.  
  
Ayeka pulled herself free of Ryouko's grip on her arm, then straightened out her towel with as much dignity as possible. "I wanted to apologize again, for before," Ayeka bowed, clearly including Ryouko into the apology.  
  
"It's all right," Tenchi smiled, glad to see that Ayeka could learn from her mistakes. She splashed her hand in the water, "Come on in, the water's fine."  
  
Sasami bounced forward and straight into the water, Ryo-Ohki right behind her. With a bit more dignity Ayeka stepped by Ryouko to get into the water, not noticing Ryouko grasping the edge of her towel. Another step, and her only covering dropped away.  
  
"Eek!" Ayeka screamed, diving in with a splash to try to cover herself, even as a blushing Tenchi turned away as quickly as possible. Ryouko was nearly killing herself laughing, barely managing to stay upright,  
  
'Breasts are a bit smaller than Ryouko's,' Tenchi found herself noting.  
  
Ayeka splashed out of the water, scooping her towel up and wrapping it around her roughly even as she scowled at Ryouko, "I'm not a show off like you!"  
  
Ryouko smiled back as she asked, "You bathe naked, don't you?" She gazed pointedly at Ayeka's breasts, "You're not proud of yourself, are you? I guess I can understand." Ryouko gave Ayeka a dangerous smile, "If what I said was offensive, show yourself to me."  
  
Ayeka reared back and gave Ryouko a ringing slap.  
  
Ryouko slapped her twice in reply.  
  
The women glared at each other, the hostility seeming to shimmer in the air between them.  
  
"Uhm," Tenchi started, only to have the two glares directed at her, "never mind."  
  
"I have had quite enough of you and your insolence, Miss Ryouko," Ayeka said coldly, power shimmering around her. Small pieces of wood began to materialize all around Ryouko, who gazed at her with a slight smile.  
  
"Are you going to do something about it?" Ryouko asked with a grin. Ayeka's eyes narrowed and the wood flowed like water, but Ryouko teleported away before it could grab her. She used Ayeka's head to give her a boost and landed smoothly onto a nearby boulder.  
  
"Why, you," Ayeka growled, looking around wildly.  
  
"Do you want to know why they call me Ryouko?" she asked softly as the gems on her wrists began to glow, "Because I can call up spirits from anything on this Earth!" The white spirits flowed up from the ground, from the water, ever from the air itself.  
  
Ayeka raised her shield, watching as the spirits bounced off of it harmlessly. "I'm not impressed," she said disdainfully.  
  
"You will be," Ryouko answered, calling the spirits in front of her to form a monstrous beast. Ayeka took a half step back from the clawed figure even as Ryouko felt someone looking at her. Leaving the beast to wait patiently she turned slightly, and met Tenchi's gaze.  
  
Tenchi's expression was calm, the dark haired young woman looking up at her with absolute faith and trust. Ryouko hesitated, the gems on her wrists still glowing softly, then she turned back to look at Ayeka.  
  
"I could order this to attack you, and I doubt you could stop it," Ryouko mused. She smiled slightly, "But I won't." With a sweeping gesture she dissipated the beast, returning the beast to it's rest. She leapt down, and felt warmed by Tenchi's approving gaze.  
  
"Thank you," Tenchi said softly.  
  
"But... why?" Ayeka looked on in disbelief.  
  
Ryouko's lips curled in a smile, "Because Tenchi didn't want me to." And with a much more wicked look, "And because I don't need to fight you to beat you."  
  
"EXCUSE ME," the massively loud voice knocked them all off their feet. They had been so wrapped up in their personal drama that they hadn't even seen the silvery, wedge shaped spacecraft descend until it was floating above them.  
  
"Galaxy Police?" Ayeka blinked, recognizing the insignia.  
  
"HAVE ANY OF YOU SEEN A CRIMINAL NAMED KAGATO?" the voice boomed down at them cheerfully.  
  
"Kagato?" Ryouko's eyes grew wide.  
  
To be continued... 


	8. Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from this fanfic. Some of the material for this story was taken from Tenchi Muyo OVA #5, freely adapted for the purposes of this story.  
  
Tenchi Muyo: No Need for Boys! Part Eight  
  
Far above the Earth, between the planet and it's moon the massive starship hung, the Soja. Down winding corridors to a massive chamber, and a man standing there, his glasses gleaming in the light. "It's time," the light purple haired man murmured softly, and disappeared.  
  
The cave was damp and dark, the light that formerly filled it having gone away weeks ago. The man reappeared there, looking about him thoughtfully, "So this was your prison, my Ryouko." A slight smile, "It doesn't matter, you may have found what I was looking for regardless."  
  
Meanwhile, in another part of the shrine grounds, a council of war was being held. "Kagato," Tenchi echoed the name softly as they sat around a table at the Masaki household. Mihoshi's arrival at the hot-springs had cut the trip short, and as discretely as possible they had all made their way back to the shrine itself.  
  
"The Most Wanted criminal in the galaxy," Mihoshi confirmed, "also called the Ruins Buster, he has despoiled cultural monuments and historical sites across the galaxy."  
  
"And he's coming here," Ayeka said weakly. Her jaw tightened, "Using my ship and Ryo-Ohki we could evacuate, possibly lead him away."  
  
"Won't work," with a shake of her head Ryouko said softly, "he'd just bombard the planet to blackmail us to come back."  
  
"You'd know," Ayeka acknowledged, "you used to work for him."  
  
Quite coolly Ryouko answered her, "Not willingly." She looked over at Tenchi and asked her, "Could I talk to you privately for a moment?"  
  
Tenchi nodded slightly, "Of course." They left the building together, sliding the screen door shut behind them.  
  
Left alone at the table Mihoshi leaned over to Ayeka, "She's so cute!"  
  
"Who?" Ayeka blinked.  
  
"Why, Tenchi of course!" Mihoshi beamed. Quite softly she asked her, "Are she and Miss Ryouko... involved?"  
  
Ayeka sweatdropped, 'She's interested in her, too?' Firmly she said, "No, they are not." Adding silently, 'At least, I hope not.'  
  
Ryouko and Tenchi looked out into the twilight together silently, standing side by side. "What's wrong?" Tenchi finally asked her gently.  
  
"I want you to take the gems back," Ryouko said, holding up her one arm so that the light caught the red jewel there on her wrist.  
  
"But why?" Tenchi looked at her in surprise.  
  
Ryouko looked over at the dark haired girl with a slight smile, "Tenchi, Kagato was able to control me once before." Her eyes darkened as she said intensely, "I will not allow myself to be used as a weapon against you."  
  
"Which is why you should keep the gems," Tenchi pointed out.  
  
"Huh?" Ryouko blinked.  
  
"Taking them away will merely weaken you, make you easier for him to control. Wearing them might just give you the strength you need to fight back," Tenchi said passionately.  
  
"But Tenchi.." Ryouko started.  
  
Tenchi put her finger softly but firmly on Ryouko's lips. "I believe in you, Ryouko," she smiled at her gently.  
  
"Thank you," Ryouko reached up to take Tenchi's hand, then kissed it gently.  
  
Inside Ayeka leaned up against the outer wall, feeling a sudden burst of shame at so blatantly easedropping on the two of them. She swiftly moved away from the door as Mihoshi and Sasami came in the room, giving them a slight smile.  
  
"Dinner's ready," Sasami said happily.  
  
"And it smells delish!" Mihoshi said happily.  
  
"I'll let Tenchi and Ryouko know," Ayeka swiftly volunteered. She walked over and tapped gently on the screen, "Dinner's ready."  
  
"Thanks," Ryouko called back to her. She smiled up at Tenchi, "I do hope you know what you're doing."  
  
"Let's both hope," Tenchi smiled back. She stepped off the porch, "I'll go let my Grandfather know that the food's done."  
  
"See you soon," Ryouko flickered away, teleporting inside.  
  
Tenchi walked across the stone path, noting the leaves that had fallen. 'I'll have to sweep again tomorrow,' she thought, trying to divert herself from what she was about to do. She reached the dwelling almost too quickly, knocking on the door and calling, "Grandfather, it's Tenchi."  
  
"Come in, Tenchi," his voice came from within.  
  
The door slid open, revealing her grandfather kneeling on the floor, a cup of tea resting in front of him. Tenchi knelt down opposite him as she quietly said, "Dinner is ready." She hesitated, trying to find the right words to say.  
  
"Something is troubling you," her grandfather noted calmly, "what is it?"  
  
Tenchi had to fight back a smile as she thought, 'He always could read me like a book.' She took a breath, summoning the calm she had been trained to feel. "Your name wasn't always Katsuhito Masaki was it," she said softly, "you're Yosho, aren't you?"  
  
Grandfather picked up the cup of tea, drinking a bit before setting it down again. "I haven't been called that in a very long time," he finally admitted. He looked over at Tenchi with those violet eyes, so like hers and Ayeka's and asked, "How did you know?"  
  
"A lot of little things," Tenchi said softly, "how well you handled Ryouko's appearance, your knowledge of the sword, how you used knowledge of the Jurai legal system to help Ryouko and I, that and many other things. They just all finally added up to this."  
  
Grandfather nodded slightly, "So what are you going to do with this knowledge?"  
  
"Nothing right now," Tenchi said softly. Her expression grew intense, "We've been informed by a Galaxy Police officer that Kagato is on his was here."  
  
"I am.. too old to fight him," her grandfather admitted rather reluctantly.  
  
"I know," Tenchi agreed. A grim little smile, "But I want you to be ready to finish him off, or to rescue Ryouko and the others if I should fail."  
  
"You're not the type to prepare for a worst case like this," he noted.  
  
"I guess being in love does that to me," Tenchi said softly in reply. She got up, wincing slightly, "We'd better go to dinner, or Sasami will get cross."  
  
"Indeed," Grandfather noted.  
  
The older man fell in behind the young lady, lost in his thoughts. Tenchi had matured a great deal in the past few weeks, acquiring a depth beyond what mere training could provide. She had faced the crisis and come out of it like a fine sword, tempered in the fire. But would it be enough for her to face a foe like Kagato? He just didn't know.  
  
THOOM!  
  
"Oh hell," Tenchi took off running.  
  
A few minutes before the ladies were preparing dinner when an odd, blue sphere of light materialized on the wall above them. It expanded a moment, glowing eerily, then retracted revealing a man, long purple hair flowing over his shoulders. He wore the garb of the planet Jurai, his golden eyes concealed by his glasses.  
  
"Well, I finally found you, Ryouko," Kagato murmured, then his eyes widened slightly, "What..?"  
  
Mihoshi, Ayeka and Ryouko all opened fire on him at the same time, blowing him right out of the building with a loud crash that could be heard for miles around.  
  
Laying on the ground, his clothing smoking slightly Kagato shook himself as he muttered, "How dare she do that to.."  
  
"Yaaa!" Tenchi charged him, sword ignited.  
  
Kagato gestured, an blue energy blade forming in his hand, but he was badly rattled, and the blade was shattered by Tenchi's over hand strike. He flinched back, the only thing saving his face from further harm as the shining blade cut him from eyebrow to cheek!  
  
'Can't let up,' Tenchi thought as she drove the shaken Kagato away from the ladies, 'according to Mihoshi and the others Kagato is a remorseless killer!'  
  
"Damn you," with that growl Kagato was recovering, getting his guard back up. He gestured, and Tenchi heard Ryouko scream in agony.  
  
Tenchi turned just a moment, but that distraction was enough for Kagato to strike at him brutally, sending the girl sprawling. But Tenchi's instincts kicked in, and she recovered with a roll putting her sword back up to guard position.  
  
From the corner of her eye Tenchi could see Ryouko sprawled on the ground, electricity arcing around her body as Kagato's power struck at her. "Fight him," Tenchi cried out to her, "I know you can do it!"  
  
There was a flash of white as Ryouko smiled. She looked up and fixed Kagato with a look that could melt steel, "I am your servant... no longer! I am no man's slave, not ever again!" She shuddered, then bonelessly collapsed.  
  
That defiance seemed to effect Kagato more than his bleeding face as he said wonderingly, "Is this the greatest power of the universe? Is this what's contained in that blade?" Kagato rose up into the air, looking down at Tenchi thoughtfully, "That is the King's blade, are you quite certain you're wielding it properly?"  
  
'King's blade?' Tenchi thought even as she strove to keep her shock from her face. "Well enough, it seems," Tenchi said to him firmly.  
  
"She is my chosen successor," the firm voice declared, and Kagato shifted his gaze just enough to see Tenchi's grandfather there, wooden practice sword raised in ready position, "and she is more than enough to handle the likes of you."  
  
"First Prince of Jurai's royal family, "Kagato murmured as the realization struck home, "of course, it would have to be you, Yosho."  
  
The soft gasp of surprise from Princess Ayeka was barely heard, though a slight, sad smile appeared on Yosho's face.  
  
Kagato stood his ground as Tenchi moved to one side, Yosho the other, and Ayeka and Mihoshi took up flanking positions. "The odds no longer favor me," her murmured. Flinging out his hand Ryouko was lifted off the ground and right into his grip, "If you will not serve me, you'll serve as bait instead." He glared at Tenchi, "Bring the sword and face me on Soja," he said coldly, "or you will never see her again."  
  
With that, they both simply disappeared.  
  
To be continued.. 


	9. Chapter Nine

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from this fanfic. Some of the material for this story was taken from Tenchi Muyo OVA #5, freely adapted for the purposes of this story.  
  
Tenchi Muyo: No Need for Boys! Part Eight  
  
There was a long moment of silence after Kagato disappeared, leaving Tenchi gazing in shock at where he had disappeared along with his captive and former slave, Ryouko. The breeze blew past them, and she could hear it blowing through the leaves of the sacred tree, the one that was once part of Yosho's ship. Tenchi barely noticed it, she had other things to worry about.  
  
Nearby her Ayeka gazed at Yosho in shock, "Elder brother?"  
  
"Ayeka," Yosho's mouth formed that very familiar smile, and with a soft cry Ayeka ran into his arms, soon to be joined by a crying Sasami. They began to talk together softly, but Tenchi wasn't really listening to their words.  
  
"Tenchi?" Mihoshi walked over to her side.  
  
Tenchi turned to look at the Galaxy Police officer, and was mildly startled by the compassion that she saw in her eyes. It was easy to underestimate her, with how clumsy and tearful she could be, but Tenchi knew there was a stronger core to her.  
  
"I'd like to help you go after Ryouko," Mihoshi said to her quietly, "and attempt to arrest the notorious criminal Kagato."  
  
"It'll be risky," Tenchi cautioned her gently.  
  
Mihoshi raised her chin forcefully, "Danger is only part of the Galaxy Police job description." A bit more gently, "I'd really like to help, Tenchi."  
  
Tenchi smiled back, "I'd be glad to have you, Miss Mihoshi."  
  
With a bit of a blush on her cheeks she looked down shyly and said, "You can just call me Mihoshi, Tenchi."  
  
"All right, Mihoshi," Tenchi agreed with a slight smile. She saw Ayeka and Sasami had run down talking to her Grandfather and said, "Excuse me."  
  
"Charming another girl, Tenchi?" her grandfather asked, nodding to where Mihoshi stood, a flush to her cheeks and eyes wide.  
  
"Not intentionally so," Tenchi sighed wearily. She gave her grandfather a pointed look, "You just had to announce yourself, didn't you. You couldn't have just jumped him like we had planned?"  
  
"It wouldn't have been honorable," Yosho answered.  
  
"Neither is he, if you hadn't noticed," Tenchi growled.  
  
Yosho shrugged his agreement with that point, but not necessarily conceding that he had actually been in the wrong. He gave his granddaughter a shrewd look as he asked, "So what do you intend to do now?"  
  
"Go after them," Tenchi simply said.  
  
Part of Ayeka wanted to loudly protest that idea. She so wanted to tell Tenchi to just leave Ryouko to her fate, to go with her back to Jurai and marshal the forces of that world against Kagato. But her real reason was to keep Tenchi for herself, and she knew that is she actually said those words, Tenchi would never forgive her.  
  
"And I'll go with you," Ayeka said to Tenchi instead, "we can use my ship to engage Soja in battle, along with Ryo-Ohki."  
  
Tenchi smiled, "Thank you."  
  
"I'm coming too," Sasami spoke up.  
  
Tenchi knelt down by the little girl, "I need you to stay here, Sasami." She opened her mouth to protest as Tenchi continued, "You see, I need you here to keep an eye on my Grandfather for me." Tenchi gave him an impish look, "He's pretty impetuous, so without someone to keep an close eye on him he gets into trouble."  
  
Sasami sniffled gently, "All right, Tenchi. I'll do my best."  
  
Grandfather gave Tenchi a stern look over that, but the corner of his mouth was twitching upward as he fought back a smile.  
  
Tenchi knelt down where Ryo-Ohki crouched low to the ground, looking up into the darkness where Tenchi was certain the Soja waited for them and hissing softly. "Will you help us to go rescue Ryouko, Ryo-Ohki?" Tenchi asked the cabbit softly.  
  
"Myah!" was the forceful yes that Ryo-Ohki gave her.  
  
"Tenchi," her Grandfather said quietly.  
  
"Yes?" Tenchi turned to look at him.  
  
Her Grandfather gently put his hand on her shoulder, "I just want you to know that I've never been more proud of you than I am now." Gently smiling he finished, "You can do this, Tenchi."  
  
"I've got the sword with me," Tenchi hefted the wooden hilt, "I'm sure that I'll manage." Tenchi was mildly surprised when her Grandfather shook his head no.  
  
"Don't rely on the blade," Grandfather quietly cautioned her, "the power that you need is within yourself."  
  
"Within myself?" Tenchi blinked. But her Grandfather didn't answer her, he just smiled slightly as he walked away.  
  
"Why don't I bring Ayeka along with me in Yukinojo?" Mihoshi stepped up to offer, referring to her Galaxy Police cruiser.  
  
"Shouldn't we take.." Ayeka started, then she trailed off thoughtfully. "He knows I'm here, but I doubt he knows who Miss Mihoshi is. If we take her cruiser, we might gain an advantage in surprise," she smiled.  
  
Tenchi looked down at Ryo-Ohki, then over at the two young women thoughtfully. "You know," she murmured, "I think I have another idea to surprise Kagato with, too."  
  
"What is it?" Mihoshi asked eagerly.  
  
Tenchi didn't answer her, instead she looked up into the darkness, trying to imagine what was happening to Ryouko right then. 'Try to hold on,' she sent the passionate thoughts out to her, 'we're coming to rescue you soon.'  
  
The ship hung in the blackness of space, a massive vessel sculpted in silvery metal and alloys. It was a sight that had struck fear in many cultures, with a dark reputation that was known all across the galaxy. Corridors stretched on, twisting through the vessel until it reached a large central room. Within, Kagato stood before what resembled an giant organ.  
  
It wasn't his bad playing that awoke Ryouko, nor the discomfort that she felt. Instead it was a voice, a familiar one gently touching on the edges of her mind. "Tenchi," Ryouko whispered to herself, her eyes gradually opening.  
  
"Awake at last," Kagato smiled, a twisted, cold thing.  
  
Ryouko glared down at him, struggling within the sand that held her captive. Her power built, sending the sand churning all around her, and she took in the hourglass tube she was contained in. But the sand sapped her power, the clear walls of the chamber resisting the strongest blows, and exhausted she slumped, the sand pouring in around her again.  
  
"Interesting," Kagato softly murmured, "when I last saw you, there was no way that you could have defied me like this." He frowned, "What power does this Tenchi possess, that could turn you against me like this?"  
  
"No power," Ryouko smiled slightly, thinking of the kindness that Tenchi had shown her. But that was something that a man like Kagato could never understand, so she kept silent.  
  
"I suppose it doesn't matter," Kagato turned back to his keyboard and finished, "I'll be testing that power soon enough."  
  
"No, you won't," Ryouko answered simply.  
  
Kagato looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "Oh?"  
  
Ryouko felt a deep pain as she quietly said, "Princess Ayeka won't let her. She'll bring Tenchi back to Jurai with her, and make sure that you two don't cross swords." With a sad little smile she added, "You see, she loves him too."  
  
With a cold smile on his face Kagato said, "You had best hope not, for your only value to me is as a hostage, now." Something brought his attention back to the main view screen. and he scowled at what he saw.  
  
The lone Galaxy Police cruiser approached the Soja, and the communications system activated, "This is Galaxy Police Detective first class Mihoshi and I order you to lower your shields and surrender yourself, Kagato!"  
  
"Told you," Ryouko murmured to him sadly.  
  
"Scan for Ryo-Ohki," Kagato barked at the ship around him. He scowled as the readings came up negative, "That coward! How dare he send another in his place?" Kagato strode away as he said, "Let the automatic systems deal with that... fool out there."  
  
Ryouko felt a few bitter tears streak her face. She was glad to know that Tenchi was safe, but still, she had hoped for rescue... Suddenly, her head jerked back in surprise. 'I feel Ryo-Ohki through our link.' she thought, 'but how?'  
  
The bridge of the Galaxy Police cruiser wasn't terribly large to start with, and with five people in it if you counted Ryo-Ohki and the main computer unit, it was positively cramped. "Our shields should have kept Kagato from detecting all of you," Mihoshi said cheerfully.  
  
"Ooof," Ayeka gasped as Mihoshi gave her an accidental elbow to the gut. After giving her a death glare and wiggling back far enough to hopefully prevent another hit she looked over at Tenchi, "So what do we do next?"  
  
"Yukinojo, is the Soja's weapons systems responding to us automatically?" Tenchi looked up to ask the ship itself even as she tried to shift into a more comfortable position on the console that she was perched on. It didn't help much.  
  
"Analyzing firing pattern," Yukinojo murmured, and a moment later announced, "It appears the automatic systems are controlling the weapons."  
  
"Kagato isn't paying attention," Mihoshi noted, "because he things it's only one GP cruiser he's facing off with."  
  
"Giving us a slight advantage," Ayeka noted. Her eyes widened as Mihoshi smoothly dodged the ship away from a burst of weapons fire, "Nicely done."  
  
"Thank you," Mihoshi beamed at her cheerfully.  
  
"Is there someplace Ryo-Ohki and I can take off from?" Tenchi asked her as she moved towards the rear hatch.  
  
"The shuttle bay," Mihoshi volunteered the information.  
  
"Get us as close as you can safely get to Soja," Tenchi paused in the doorway, Ryo-Ohki right behind her, "and let us know when you do."  
  
"Be careful," Ayeka said softly as Tenchi stepped out into the corridor, but the dark haired woman didn't answer her.  
  
"This is going to be tricky," Mihoshi bit her lip as she thrust the slim cruiser forward.  
  
"Woah!" Ayeka grabbed another console to keep from falling over as the cruiser bobbed and weaved through the weapons fire, dancing closer and closer to the great ship itself.  
  
"Tenchi!" Mihoshi used the ship's communicator to try to contact her and asked, "Are you in the shuttle bay yet?"  
  
"Just about there," Tenchi yelled as she reached the door. She keyed it open with a wave of her hand, and stepped into the large boat bay.  
  
"Good," Mihoshi's voice came from a nearby screen, "because I think we're as close as we're going to be able to get."  
  
For a moment Tenchi gazed in shock at the image on the viewscreen. The cruiser was actually skimming along the skin of the Soja, dodging bursts of weapons fire as she did so. Tenchi grabbed the cabbit and flung her forward, "Go, Ryo-Ohki!"  
  
"Myah!" the cabbit cried as it expanded, forming the black and scarlet crystalline ship. A red energy beam engulfed Tenchi, and she found herself on the bridge of the ship, which was zipping along beside Yukinojo.  
  
"You two can go if you want," Tenchi said as Ryo-Ohki opened a communications link to the other ship, "Kagato only challenged me."  
  
"We're following you in," Ayeka said as Mihoshi nodded firmly.  
  
"Thanks," Tenchi gave them a smile. The link was cut, and she looked up to one of Ryo-Ohki's crystal computer units. "We don't have to do it this way, you know. There might be another way to get us inside..."  
  
"Myah." The answer was firm, no hesitation at all.  
  
"Thank you, Ryo-Ohki," Tenchi smiled sadly, "I won't forget this." She took a deep breath and commanded, "Ramming speed!"  
  
"Myah!" the eager reply.  
  
The small ship leapt forward, the hull of the Soja swiftly filling up the screen as they went faster and faster.  
  
CRASH!  
  
To be continued... 


	10. Chapter Ten

Disclaimer: No, I still don't own any of the characters from this fanfic. Some of the material for this story was taken from Tenchi Muyo OVA #5 &6, freely adapted for the purposes of this story.  
  
Tenchi Muyo: No Need for Boys! Part Ten  
  
Ryouko gazed in shock and horror as the shattered form of her ship Ryo-Ohki fell away from the Soja's hull, crumbling as it fell into the Earth's atmosphere. Brighter and brighter it glowed, blazing as it began to burn up in re-entry.  
  
"Tenchi," Ryouko murmured, realizing who had likely been on board her ship. Her eyes blazed red even as tears began to flow down her cheeks, "Tenchi!"  
  
The sand in the chamber Ryouko was trapped in churned violently, her eyes glowing brighter and brighter as energy danced all around her. In her anger and grief Ryouko called upon levels of power previously undreamed of and in a final gesture exploded the chamber, sending shards and sand flying everywhere!  
  
Teleporting away Ryouko found herself standing at the hull break, gazing out into the void of space. "Tenchi," Ryouko murmured softly.  
  
"Glad to see you free," the gentle voice said from the shadows.  
  
Ryouko whirled around, her eyes wide. Tenchi stood there in Juraian battle armor, garbed in protective brown and black. "You're all right," Ryouko threw herself into Tenchi's arms.  
  
The other girl seemed startled by Ryouko's tears, but Tenchi recovered enough to pat her back awkwardly. "I'm sorry," Tenchi murmured softly, "about Ryo-Ohki."  
  
Ryouko nodded grimly, "She liked you, Tenchi." A soft sigh, "It's all right." Her eyes narrowed, "So what's the plan?"  
  
Outside the Soja, Mihoshi jinked her cruiser aside from another energy attack as she maneuvered the craft through the storm of the larger ship's attacks. "Ayeka," she barked, "do you see any sign of a docking port?"  
  
Without thinking about it Ayeka sat in front of one of the consoles, then froze. "You are speaking to a Princess of Jurai."  
  
Mihoshi just smiled, "Well Princess, can you find me a docking port?"  
  
Ayeka actually smiled back as she murmured, "Right." She called up the cruiser's scans of the Soja's hull, and highlighted one part on the view on Mihoshi's screen. "That might just be it," she looked at the section of hull with a visible seam.  
  
"I think you're right," Mihoshi brought the ship around in such a tight turn that the ship's inertial dampers failed momentarily, sending Ayeka tumbling into Mihoshi's lap!  
  
"Eek," Ayeka gasped as Mihoshi wrapped an arm around her to keep her from bouncing around the cockpit any more.  
  
The Galaxy Police officer's face was intent as she bobbed and weaved the ship through another burst of automatic fire right at the sealed hatch. "Hold on tight," Mihoshi smiled at Ayeka suddenly, "I think this is going to be getting a little rough."  
  
Her thumb pressed down firmly on the firing switch on her controls, and with that simple move she unleashed the full firepower of the powerful ship against that small section of hull. The metal went bright red, then glowing pure white as the doors twisted under her fire. Then the ships collided, the softened alloy peeling back from the bow of the cruiser like so much paper as they skidded to a stop on the floor of the docking bay.  
  
"We're still alive," a pale Ayeka said softly, only then realizing she had wrapped her entire body in a death grip around the smiling Mihoshi. "You're insane!"  
  
"Nope," Mihoshi beamed. She unstrapped herself from the command chair, then pulled a pink storage cube from her uniform. She twisted it once, and after a few random items fell out a large cannon dropped down to the floor. She easily hefted it in one hand and with a grin said, "Let's go buy Lord Tenchi some time."  
  
Ayeka touched an ornate wooden ring she wore, summoning her own suit of Juraian battle armor. Tiger stripes marked her face, going with the tiger-like design of her brown and black armor. "All right," she gaze Mihoshi a regal nod, "let's go do some damage."  
  
Striding into his command center Kagato had a odd look on his face as he gazed up at the shattered container that Ryouko had been sealed away in. She should not have been able to break out of there, not with what he knew about her power levels. The idea that she might be capable of more than she was designed for... was disturbing to him, to say the least.  
  
"The intruders?" he asked, and a monitor came on.  
  
Galaxy Police officer Mihoshi ran along one side of the corridor, confidently firing an impressively sized cannon even as she wept out, "Whaa! Stay away from me!"  
  
'She looks like she's in a complete panic,' Kagato noted, 'but she's still destroying the droids with almost pin-point precision. I wonder if it's all just an act, her reputation for clumsiness?'  
  
A softly spoken command and the image zoomed in on another figure in the passage, a fierce looking young woman dressed in a suit of Juraian battle armor, destroying security drones with raw power channeled through her fists.  
  
"Princess Ayeka, first princess of Jurai,'" Kagato murmured to himself thoughtfully. He smiled coldly, "Could she be the key to that infinite power I've sought?"  
  
He frowned as Kagato considered another matter. "Where is Ryouko?" he asked the ship crisply. Images rapidly flipped through different parts of the ship, but there was no sign of his escaped servant or anyone else.  
  
In another part of the massive ship Tenchi and Ryouko raced down a hall, their twin energy swords glowing. In a flash of light they leapt up at the latest wave of security drones, blades gleaming as they cut down their adversaries.  
  
"Ayeka and Mihoshi should be attacking from another part of the ship," Tenchi said as she raised her blade to parry one of the incoming energy bolts, "hopefully keeping Kagato's attention while we try to reach him."  
  
Ryouko smiled at her grimly as she dealt with the last of that wave of drones. "I'm trying to screen us from the ship's active sensors," she reported, "but I can't promise just how long I can manage it." She gave Tenchi a thoughtful look as she flew beside her, "I kinda thought that Ayeka would have hauled you to Jurai by now."  
  
Tenchi focused on the hall ahead, keeping an eye out for more drones, but she smiled just slightly as she said, "Well, I couldn't just leave you here."  
  
"Thank you, Tenchi," Ryouko smiled back at her.  
  
Tenchi ran through a open door only to skid to a stop, a massive gap between the doorway and a door on the far side. "Wow," she murmured softly, "very Star Wars."  
  
"What?" Ryouko raised her eyebrow at her.  
  
Tenchi shook her head with a sheepish grin, "Never mind."  
  
"Care for a lift?" Ryouko offered her hands.  
  
"Please," Tenchi answered, swiftly banishing thoughts of swinging across.  
  
Ryouko gently took Tenchi's hands, surprising her as she pulled her into a tight hug, "Better to be safe than sorry."  
  
"Right," Tenchi's face was bright red, feeling her body pressed up to Ryouko's as they rose up, flying across the gap to settle down on the other side.  
  
Ryouko didn't let Tenchi go immediately, instead pressing her lips gently to Tenchi's own. The dark haired girl didn't move away, leaning into the kiss eagerly. Finally Ryouko drew back, softly murmuring to her, "Later."  
  
"Later," Tenchi agreed breathlessly.  
  
In a very different sort of reality than the one that she observed a figure watched the two interact curiously. "Interesting," the little redheaded woman sat back with a satisfied smile, "it seems my little Ryouko is all grown up!"  
  
The image she studied in a floating screen shifted, and she studied the dark haired woman beside Ryouko. "And you were most unexpected," she murmured. The image of the young woman shifted, a spectral image of her appearing, and within her shining pools of power. She shifted back to an image of Tenchi's face, and saw a flickering emblem appear on her forehead, a simplified fan.  
  
"Kagato is not going to be very happy about any of this," she laughs, folding her legs underneath her and sitting in midair cross-legged. A wave of her hand brings up another screen, where a Galaxy Police officer and a Princess charge down the hallway together.  
  
Mihoshi came around the corner at a dead run, her cannon ready. With a windmilling of her arms she brought herself to a stop, nearly running into what looked like a giant brick wall. Sadly, Ayeka had been running right behind her.  
  
"Oof!" Mihoshi was sent sprawling to the ground, Ayeka laying on top of her.  
  
"I'm so sorry," Ayeka swiftly got to her feet before offering Mihoshi a hand up, "you just stopped so suddenly!"  
  
"It's all right," Mihoshi winced a bit, rubbing her side. She looked up at the wall thoughtfully and said, "Guess it's a dead end."  
  
There was a sudden grinding noise, and the wall separated, revealing a great expanse of mirrored floor stretching off into the distance. "Looks like we're expected," Ayeka smiled coolly.  
  
"Looks like it," Mihoshi agreed, getting her storage cube out again. A twist returned the cannon to storage even as Ayeka moved forward. "Hold on a minute while I switch weapons," Mihoshi frowned in concentration as she twisted the device.  
  
"Make it quick," Ayeka stepped forward past the wall into the other chamber.  
  
"Oops," the cube slid from Mihoshi's fingers, hitting the ground.  
  
Blip!  
  
There was an sudden, odd sensation of vertigo, and Mihoshi found herself standing there all alone. "Miss Ayeka?" she asked worriedly, looking around in confusion, unaware that she stood on one side of the mirrored floor, Ayeka on the other.  
  
Ayeka looked back in surprise, her eyes widening to find Mihoshi gone. "Mihoshi?" she called out, looking around for her. But there was no sign at all of the blonde officer.  
  
'Kagato?' Ayeka frowned, wondering why he would choose to take the blonde captive. 'I'll just have to ask him when I find him,' she resolved, moving forward once more.  
  
Ayeka skimmed along a few feet of the floor, drawing on a bit of her power to fly. 'See, Miss Ryouko?' she thought, 'You're not the only one who can do that!' She left the mirrored floor and soared into another chamber, only to stop in surprise.  
  
"Big brother?" Ayeka gazed at the man in shock.  
  
Garbed as he once was before he left Jurai, in the full vigor of youth, stood Prince Yosho. "Ayeka," he smiled at her gently, "it's been a long time."  
  
To be continued... 


	11. Eleven

Tenchi Muyo: No Need for Boys! Part Eleven  
  
"Hello?" Mihoshi called out, looking around her curiously in the odd darkness of the hall she entered. It had an feeling of age and disuse, despite looking like much of the rest of Soja.  
  
"It's about time you got here," the voice said crisply.  
  
Mihoshi jumped a bit in surprise, spinning about to see a short, redheaded girl standing right behind her. Dressed in the uniform of the Science Academy, she was small enough to look like one of the students there.  
  
"Follow me," the redhead strode off without another word.  
  
Running to try and catch up Mihoshi asked, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"  
  
"Washu," the redhead said simply, ignoring the other question for the time being. She led them to what looked like an pool, within an image of Ayeka, gazing up in stunned shock at what looked like her elder brother.  
  
"Ayeka," Mihoshi's eyes widened in alarm seeing the other figure, "Wait, that's not Yosho!"  
  
Washu looked up at her with a slight smile, "Very good!" She looked back down at the pool, "Let's hope Ayeka's that perceptive."  
  
Standing there in the great hall Ayeka gazed in honest pleasure at the sight of her long lost brother, restored to the vigor of youth. "Yosho," she cried out happily, running forward. A few steps, a meeting of their eyes, and the dark purple haired princess jerked to a sudden stop in the middle of the gigantic chamber.  
  
"Come, Ayeka," Yosho smiled, his arms outstretched, "let me greet you."  
  
"You're not Yosho." Ayeka said firmly.  
  
Standing there on the balcony he maintained that pose for a silent moment, then in a flare of green fire he stood revealed as Kagato. "How did you know?" he casually asked her, pushing his long, silvery gray hair back.  
  
"The eyes," Ayeka answered, "I've never seen that coldness in my brother's gaze."  
  
"They are always the most difficult to change," Kagato agreed, pushing his glasses up. "Then I suppose we'll just have to do this the hard way," he added.  
  
Kagato gestured, and Ayeka was suddenly yanked towards him. But instead of resisting she added her own power to his pull, hurtling at him fist extended. Stopped in midair she growled in frustration, the force of the mighty blow channeled away.  
  
"This place protects me from all such crude physical attacks," the smugly smiling Kagato said to her quietly.  
  
"Oh, really?" a silky dangerous voice came from right behind him.  
  
Kagato moved purely by instinct, flinging Ayeka away as he swiftly dodged, Ryouko's blade burning the very air where he once stood. The space pirate gave him a saucy grin, her scarlet energy blade held at the ready.  
  
Something, some sign warned Kagato just in time to dodge the next strike, one delivered silently and without any warning. The ice blue blade of Tenchi's sword tore the robes Kagato wore, and any nearer would have pierced the very flesh.  
  
"Coordinating your attacks," Kagato murmured, "I'm impressed."  
  
Tenchi ignored his words as she softly asked Ayeka, "Where's Mihoshi?"  
  
"I'm right here," Mihoshi cried out, but they couldn't hear her. She turned to glare down at Washu, "Where are we?"  
  
"The mirror side to the ship," Washu answered crisply. She sighed at the look of utter incomprehension on Mihoshi's face and simplified, "We're in a part of the ship that's sealed off from the rest of it. The only way we can leave is if they defeat Kagato."  
  
"And you know this how?" Mihoshi asked weakly.  
  
"I designed this ship," Washu said proudly.  
  
"And you can't get out?" Mihoshi echoed.  
  
"Of course! It's perfect," Washu explained cheerfully, "because I designed it!"  
  
Mihoshi sweatdropped at that, then she gazed anxiously down at the pool again. "Isn't there anything we can do?" she asked.  
  
"There is still one thing we can do," Washu murmured as Ryouko delivered a devastating attack to Kagato.  
  
"Yes?" Mihoshi asked, leaning forward eagerly even as the image of Kagato shrugged off the blows and returned the attacks.  
  
Washu suddenly whipped out two fans and began to wave them about madly as she cheered, "Go Ryouko! Go Go!" Mihoshi suddenly faceplanted and Washu gave her a worried look, "What? Wasn't I doing it right?"  
  
"Lets go," Ryouko cried out, diving at Kagato from above, her sword swinging down right at his head. Kagato raised his blade to parry that strike even as Ayeka slipped in close to him, punching at his exposed middle.  
  
"I have had enough of this," Kagato growled, catching Ayeka's arm as she was about to try and land another painful blow. With a gesture he tossed her up against a pillar, shattering the stone and sending the slim girl crumpling to the ground.  
  
"Ayeka!" Tenchi called out to her worriedly. Ayeka managed to look up at her, the girl's expression dazed, then she slumped down out cold. Oddly Ayeka seemed to slip into the floor itself, disappearing from the battlefield.  
  
"Where.." Ryouko started, then she stopped. "Washu," she murmured softly.  
  
Tenchi looked up to meet Ryouko's eyes, oddly reassured by the smile she saw there. Raising her sword she faced Kagato, her eyes narrowed, "This ends now."  
  
"Indeed," Kagato agreed with her coldly. With a dangerous little smile he added, "It's time to end this charade."  
  
Ryouko's scream was Tenchi's first hint that something had gone terribly wrong. The blue haired girl staggered, dropping to the floor as the gem on her wrists blazed. Light traced from her body outwards, the power literally being sucked out of the gems and her body.  
  
Tenchi raised her sword, but the blade flickered, then completely went out. "No," she murmured softly, "Not now!"  
  
"It's just a tool for channeling power," Washu sighed as she looked down into the pool, "and Kagato has just taken all the available power away." A slight smile teased her lips as she admitted, "I really didn't think Kagato had it in him."  
  
Mihoshi ignored her, carefully tending to the unconscious Ayeka. The dark haired girl's eyes fluttered, then opened to look up at her in confusion. "Mih'shi?" she managed weakly from where Ayeka was laying on the floor, Mihoshi's jacket wadded up under her head as a pillow. "W's worried about you," she murmured, "Where'd you go?"  
  
"We're over in the mirror side of the ship," Mihoshi said quietly, reaching out to gently press Ayeka back down to the floor. She hesitated for a moment before adding, "We're safe here."  
  
"No, we're not," Washu corrected her grimly from where she was sitting watching the battle, "none of us are safe. Not as long as Kagato still lives."  
  
"Kagato?" the recovering Ayeka murmured. Her eyes widened as she sat up in surprise, wincing in pain before asking, "Tenchi?!"  
  
"She's alive," Mihoshi reassured her.  
  
"Barely," Washu added grimly as she watched the dark haired girl leap about, barely staying one step ahead of Kagato's energy bolts.  
  
"Is there anything we can do?" Ayeka asked softly.  
  
"Pray," was Washu's short answer.  
  
Tenchi rolled under another energy bolt, aiming her path to stop near Ryouko. The blue haired former space pirate smiled at her weakly, "Sorry for getting you into this, Tenchi."  
  
Surprisingly Tenchi smiled back at her, taking Ryouko's hand and saying, "Wouldn't have missed it for the world."  
  
"Stand still and die," Kagato fired another bolt at her. Quite conversationally he added, "With the power I've drained off of the gems, I'll finally bring Soja's weapons to full power."  
  
'Which means he can target Earth,' Tenchi thought to herself grimly. She stopped running, turning around to face Kagato. 'Grandfather, I hope you were right about my having a hidden power,' she thought, taking a step towards Kagato.  
  
Kagato gestured, a bolt of emerald power striking Tenchi head on. Smoke billowed out, a pain filled cry, and Ryouko wept, "Tenchi!"  
  
"Well," Tenchi's slightly shaken voice came from somewhere inside the smoke, "that was interesting." A stream of blood ran down her arm from her shoulder, but other than that the dark haired girl was unscathed.  
  
"That should have killed you," Kagato looked at her in surprise. He shook his head, "This time, for certain."  
  
"You got that right," Tenchi grinned, raising her hands as three white glowing shields materialized in front of her, stopping the energy bolt cold. 'If I had been a bit faster, I wouldn't have been hit last time,' she thought  
  
Power flaring around her Tenchi pressed her hands to her odd shield, and the energy coursed all across her body. In seconds her battle garb was reshaped, the black and reds she now wore oddly mirroring Ryouko's own garb, a fan-like symbol glowing on her brow.  
  
"Material transmutation," Kagato murmured as he gazed at Tenchi in shock, "Is this the fabled power of Jurai I have sought so long?!"  
  
"Get out of here," Tenchi murmured as she took one of the shields into her gloved hand, reshaping it in an instant to a shining sword, "this is the only chance I'm giving you."  
  
Kagato met her eyes, then oddly he smiled. "I set out on this road a long time ago," he said quietly, "I cannot turn back from it now."  
  
"So be it," Tenchi agreed.  
  
The two figures moved almost as one, charging at each other. The twin swords swung, blazing arcs of light, then there was pure silence. Tenchi gasped, a burst of pain stabbing at her side. Still standing she turned, seeing Kagato looking at her with an odd kind of respect.  
  
"Tenchi," Kagato murmured, "like the kings blade, unable to be copied." The man's body began to crumble, dust swirling even as he murmured, "Well done..."  
  
The ship shuddered as he died, almost as if it was shifting beneath them Her power restored Ryouko leapt to her feet, "You did it, Tenchi,"  
  
"Yeah," Tenchi smiled weakly as her new blade and armor faded, "I guess I did."  
  
"Tenchi?" Ryouko's eyes widened as she saw the blood streaking the girl's arm and shoulder, a much larger blot of red spreading at her side, "Tenchi!"  
  
Tenchi barely heard that, or the other voices calling her name. The world faded to black as the floor rushed up to claim her....  
  
To be continued! 


	12. Twelve and Notes

Tenchi Muyo: No Need for Boys! Part Twelve  
  
Tenchi didn't really know what finally caused her to wake up. Gentle hands had cared for her, wiping the fever sweat away from her brow as she healed, quiet voices speaking to her. But it was one voice that had pulled her back, that and the soft sound of tears.  
  
Ryouko sat in the chair beside the bed, her face buried in her hands as her shoulders shook. "If she doesn't recover," she mumbled softly, "I don't know what I'll do..."  
  
"Hey," Tenchi croaked out, her voice rough from long disuse.  
  
"Tenchi!" Ryouko all but threw herself on the bed, hugging the dark haired, pale looking young woman close to her.  
  
"Oww," Tenchi hissed in pain, and Ryouko eased back. Tenchi smiled at her weakly and asked, "How long was I out?"  
  
"Four days," Ryouko smiled at her, her own eyes still shining with tears. She reached up to wipe at her eyes, "It's been a hectic few days."  
  
Tenchi levered herself up in her bed, getting into a sitting position. "What happened after we beat Kagato?" she asked, wondering if there were some other emergency to deal with.  
  
"You beat, you mean," Ryouko said firmly. She chuckled softly as she leaned back in the chair, "It seems that Kagato and his ship Soja were connected somehow. When you cut him in half, you cut the ship, too."  
  
Tenchi paled. "You're kidding."  
  
"No," Ryouko shook her head with a smile, "I grabbed you up off the floor and we all bolted for Mihoshi's cruiser. That, along with the fact that Ayeka called her ship to pick us up, got us all off the ship just before it blew."  
  
"So how's out patient doing today?" the cheerful voice asked as a short red headed woman came into Tenchi's view. She looked like a child, but her glance was piercing, far more mature than her appearance indicated.  
  
"Fine," Tenchi blinked getting the oddest feeling she had seen her before. Giving up on her memory she finally just plaintively looked over at Ryouko.  
  
"Tenchi Masaki," Ryouko had a slightly wry smile on her face as she gestured to the little red head, "I'd like you to meet my mother, Washu."  
  
"Your mother?" Tenchi blurted.  
  
"I know," Washu beamed, "I'm young looking for my age, it's my curse." She paused, giving Tenchi a much more serious look, "You were a very ill young woman there for awhile. Ryouko hasn't left your side for days."  
  
Tenchi looked up at Ryouko, taking her hand and squeezing it gently in her own. "Thank you," she murmured softly.  
  
Washu smiled to herself slightly as she slipped out of the room. 'Tenchi cares for her,' she thought, 'good.' She made her way down the hall, entering the living room and smiling at the crowd gathered there. "Tenchi's awake," she reported.  
  
Mihoshi burst into tears, the dusky blonde throwing her arms around the startled Washu. "I'm so glad," she wept, "I knew you could help her!"  
  
Ayeka quickly rose from her seat, then the dark purple haired princess hesitated. "Is Ryouko in there with her?" she asked. At Washu's nod Ayeka smiled slightly, "Then let's give them some time to be alone together."  
  
"Thank you for telling us Washu," Grandfather rose with a little smile, "I'll go phone her father Nobuyuki and let him know that Tenchi is all right." As he passed by Ayeka he softly asked her, "Could I speak with you?"  
  
"Of course," Ayeka fell into step behind him.  
  
Grandfather made the call, quietly relaying the good news and listening with a slight smile to his son-in-law's happy babble. Setting the phone down in it's cradle he gave his sister a thoughtful look. "Are you.." he started to ask.  
  
"I'm going home to Jurai," Ayeka nodded gracefully. Her eyes narrowed slightly, "I will be back, however. Maybe in a few years Tenchi will see through that mummy-girl..." She smiled a bit sadly, "And I'd like to leave this situation with some grace."  
  
"I'm sorry you won't be staying," the older man admitted.  
  
Ayeka looked up at him sadly, "You know, you could come back to Jurai with us. I'm sure our Mothers and Father would be glad to see you."  
  
Yosho shook his head, "This is my home, now." A slightly sad smile, "And I'd rather have them remember me as I was, rather than what I look like now."  
  
Ayeka reached up. wiping tears from her eyes. "I'll miss you, brother," she cried as she threw her arms around his waist, feeling those warm arms wrap around her gently.  
  
From the living room Ryouko's irritable voice could be heard, "You know you really shouldn't be out of bed yet!"  
  
Tenchi's reply was tinged with amusement, "I've been on my back for a few days. That means I'm more than rested up, thank you."  
  
Ayeka smiled wryly at that noisy exchange before gently slipping free from her brother's warm grasp. "Shall we," she nodded towards the living room. Yosho didn't answer her aloud, he just fell into step beside right her. As they walked in they say Tenchi sitting down on the couch, surrounded by the other ladies.  
  
"I'm glad you're feeling better Tenchi," Sasami beamed. She bounced to her feet, "Do you want some soup or something?"  
  
"Just soup from now," Washu quickly corrected her, "we need to go easy on my daughter-in-law's stomach until she gets her strength back."  
  
"I'll be right back," Sasami bounced off to the kitchen.  
  
"Daughter-in-law?" Mihoshi beamed as she looked at Tenchi and Ryouko, "Don't tell me you tied the knot without telling us!"  
  
Tenchi's cheeks went red as she unconsciously reached out to take Ryouko's hand, "I.. we haven't actually done anything just yet."  
  
Ayeka felt a sharp burst of pain, closing her eyes against the sight. When she opened them up again she met Mihoshi's curious gaze, the girl looking over at her worriedly. A blush appeared on the officer's cheeks, and she looked away from Ayeka nervously.  
  
"I'm glad," Grandfather's voice was dryly amused, "I'd rather not see you elope."  
  
"Don't be such an old stick in the mud," Washu slapped him on the back heartily, nearly knocking him right over.  
  
Ayeka stepped up beside Ryouko and Tenchi, noting with some amusement that Sasami was nearly spooning the bowl of soup right into Tenchi's mouth. "I hate to have to say this now," Ayeka said to Tenchi, "but Sasami and I are going to need to return to Jurai soon."  
  
Tenchi fended off Sasami a moment, "Are you sure? If you want to stick around a bit I'm sure no one would mind."  
  
Ayeka shook her head, "I've accomplished what I came here to do, I found my elder brother." She gave Grandfather a slight smile, "And I'm sure our parents would want to hear such joyous news from me in person."  
  
Sasami looked a bit disappointed at the news but still nodded slightly, "Big sister's right."  
  
"When you leaving?" Ryouko asked.  
  
Ayeka gave her a suspicious look, "Tomorrow afternoon."  
  
"I'll be there to see you off," Ryouko said firmly.  
  
Tenchi nodded firmly, "We all will."  
  
Ayeka nodded, an intentionally regal gesture, then with a more honest smile said, "Thank you, both of you." She then left the room silently, but wasn't too surprised to have Mihoshi leave the living room to quickly catch up with her. "Yes?" she asked, giving the officer a slight smile as they walked on together.  
  
The two of them soon stepped outside on to the porch, looking out at the shrine buildings all around them. "When you go tomorrow," Mihoshi said softly, "I'd like to accompany you in my cruiser. It isn't as safe as it once was to travel, and I'd feel better shadowing you."  
  
Ayeka looked over at the Galaxy Police officer, and noticed the dusky skinned blonde wasn't meeting her eyes. "I'd be glad to have you along," she finally answered, "both Sasami and I would be glad to have the company."  
  
"Good, good," Mihoshi was blushing faintly under Ayeka's gaze. She straightened out her uniform shirt self-consciously, "I'd better go pack and stuff." With that she was gone, stumbling over the doorway as she almost fled.  
  
Ayeka frowned slightly, watching her go. She had found herself enjoying fighting beside Mihoshi against Kagato, the seemingly ditzy woman showing a great deal of competence. With a slight blush she remembered awaking with her head resting in Mihoshi's lap, and the concerned way the young woman had looked down at her.  
  
"She just wants to be a friend," Ayeka murmured. She shook her head to banish such thoughts and with a determined stride retreated to her rooms to pack.  
  
Tenchi's strength began to come back to her, but she still tired easily. Ryouko gently helped the nightshirt clad girl get to bed early, helping support her as the walked closely together.  
  
As Ryouko was easing Tenchi down to the side of the bed she smiled slightly, "Have I said yet that you look good in black and red?" she remarked, referring to the battle garb Tenchi had manifested against Kagato, in the colors that Ryouko normally wore.  
  
Tenchi smiled back slightly, "It seemed like a good idea at the time." She began to lay back when she felt.. something, under the covers.  
  
As Tenchi jerked forward whatever it was wiggled, making it's way out from under the blankets. "Myah!" Ryo-Ohki poked it's head up, looking up at Tenchi happily. It bounced over, rubbing up against the stunned young woman's hip.  
  
"Ryo-Ohki," Tenchi said weakly, gently drawing the little cabbit to her and scratching it behind the ears. Listening to that happy purr she looked up at Ryouko joyfully, "I thought that she was dead! How..."  
  
Ryouko reached over to join in the scratching, her fingers brushing against Tenchi's. "This is Ryo-ohki's daughter, more or less," she explained, "The ship reproduced itself when it was critically damaged, and Washu recovered the egg a few days back."  
  
"Washu," Tenchi frowned, "your mother was up on Soja, wasn't she? I sort of remember seeing her before I keeled over."  
  
Ryouko gently pushed Tenchi back, making the young woman lay down. She smiled a bit sheepishly, "I hope you didn't mind that daughter-in-law comment she made..."  
  
Tenchi tugged on Ryouko, pulling the slightly off balance space- pirate on top of her on the bed. "I liked it," she laughed softly. They snuggled close, Ryouko's hands gripping Tenchi by the shoulders when she suddenly yawned. "Sorry," Tenchi blushed.  
  
"Just wait till you get your strength back Tenchi," Ryouko said dangerously, "I'll do my very best to tire you right out again."  
  
"Can't wait," Tenchi smiled. Ryouko got up to leave, and Tenchi reached out to grasp her hand. "You don't need to go..."  
  
Ryouko smiled, a surprisingly gentle smile. "Sure," she climbed back onto the bed. After only a moment's hesitation they smoothly slid together, holding each other close until sleep came.  
  
The sun rose early, and the group gathered by the lakeside to say their farewells. The breeze rippled the waters, as out on the lake Ayeka's Jurai vessel floated while not far away Mihoshi's cruiser awaited to take the Galaxy Police officer away.  
  
Tenchi knelt down beside the sniffling Sasami and put her hand on the little girl's shoulder, "You can always come back to visit, you know." A smile, "You'll always be welcome here."  
  
"Thank you," Sasami tried to smile, then threw her arms around Tenchi a moment. She pulled back reluctantly, then hugged the clearly startled Ryouko.  
  
Ayeka smiled fondly as she watched Sasami move on to Yosho. She looked at Tenchi and smiled, "It was an honor to meet you, Lord Tenchi."  
  
A faint blushed colored Tenchi's cheeks. "You don't have to call me that," she smiled.  
  
"I think it suits you," Ayeka leaned forward to press her lips to the startled Tenchi's cheek. Softly she said, "Farewell, for now."  
  
Ryouko and Ayeka exchanged a glance, the look of long time enemies. It was an oddly intimate moment, and Ryouko actually smiled, "Have a safe trip."  
  
"Thank you," Ayeka acknowledged the gesture with a nod. She dropped her voice, "Take care of Tenchi for me, please."  
  
"Will do," Ryouko nodded in return.  
  
Ayeka, Sasami and Yosho moved off together, talking softly. The resemblance was painfully obvious as they talked, and Tenchi wondered why she hadn't realized it earlier. Still, one generally doesn't expect one's grandfather to be over 700 years old...  
  
Mihoshi smiled slightly as she approached her, and Tenchi had to smile back. Dressed in her Galaxy Police uniform she should have looked formal and grave, but somehow she just reminded Tenchi of a flight attendant. Not that Tenchi would ever tell her that.  
  
"I wanted to thank you on behalf of Galaxy Police for stopping Kagato," Mihoshi smiled. A bit more seriously, "Quite a few officers were slain trying to bring him in, and I'll be glad to report that they've finally been avenged."  
  
"He didn't give me a lot of choice," Tenchi admitted, "but you're welcome."  
  
"I'll be accompanying Ayeka back to Jurai," a bit of a blush appeared on Mihoshi's cheeks, "and when I report in I'll request that an officer be assigned to this system."  
  
"Is that really necessary?" Ryouko raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Now that so many ships have come here," Mihoshi said apologetically, "others are going to become aware of this world. It's better to be safe than sorry."  
  
"You're probably right," Tenchi agreed. She smiled, "Come back and visit, all right?"  
  
Mihoshi beamed, "Sure!"  
  
Ayeka and Sasami stood close together, and Ayeka signaled her ship. In a moment a sphere of light formed around them, and the two girls rose up into the air before disappearing inside of the vessel. A soft rumble as Mihoshi started her cruiser, and Tenchi waved good-bye to them all. The two ships rose up into the sky together, rapidly shrinking away, until finally they were gone.  
  
Grandfather turned, walking back towards the shrine, leaving Ryouko and Tenchi standing there by the lake. "Are you going to miss them?" Ryouko finally asked.  
  
"A little," Tenchi admitted, "I loved Sasami's cooking, and Ayeka does grow on you a bit."  
  
"I'm glad you were honest," Ryouko shrugged. They started back towards the shrine, and without either thinking about it they held hands.  
  
"I'll always try to be with you," Tenchi squeezed those fingers gently. She looked over at Ryouko, "I love you."  
  
Ryouko stopped them there, her hand stroking along Tenchi's cheek. "I love you, too," and then she pressed her lips to Tenchi's.  
  
"You know," Washu murmured from where she watched the two of them intently, "I think I like this place." She smiled, "Think I'll stick around for awhile."  
  
Through her link to Ryouko Washu had felt the depth of Ryouko's emotions towards Tenchi. And looking at the girl, Washu felt safe that Tenchi shared those feelings. Still, a mother liked to keep an eye on her daughter, and it gave her a chance to study Tenchi a bit more closely.  
  
Besides, both Tenchi and Ryouko seemed to draw trouble to them. Being around them would help bring some excitement to Washu's life....  
  
The End?  
  
Author's Notes: No Need for Boys!  
  
Would you believe that this all started out only as a simple Sailor Moon fusion story? As I had first thought it out, shrine maiden Rei Hino snuck into the cave behind her grandfather's shrine and accidentally released the demoness Minako Aino. Makoto Kino of Jurai arrived soon after looking for her sempai, along with her little sister Chibi-Usa. Then galaxy police officers Ami Mizuno and the slightly ditzy Usagi Tsukino arrived. And so on...  
  
Personally, I was a bit surprised at just how easily I could match up the Sailor Moon cast to that of Tenchi Muyo. It would have made a cute one- off fic, but I couldn't see much more story potential there, so I just shelved the idea.  
  
A few weeks later, I wrote a first draft of my fic, 'No Need for Alternates!' It was a pretty good fic, but I did feel that I didn't give Tenchi very much screen time in it. So in my expanded second version, I had him do a bit of a humorous walkabout the shrine meeting various alternate versions of the main cast. And sitting on the shrine steps talking to Ryouko he met a familiar looking young lady who was also called Tenchi Misaki...  
  
Pretty soon she was camped out in the frontal lobe of my brain, loudly demanding her very own storyline so I dusted off the Sailor Moon fusion for inspiration. A female Tenchi raised a whole series of possibilities, as well as giving me the chance to fix one or two problems that I had with the character of Tenchi himself. He's a nice enough lad, but has a tendency to panic at the drop of a hat. Any hat at all. The female Tenchi, on the other hand, is a bit more level headed.  
  
I'm not quite as sympathetic to Ryouko as the female Tenchi obviously is, but as you can tell I do think that she had it rather rough. I can't imagine being sealed up underground for over 700 years, and I tend to think the only reason that she remained sane was her ability to 'spirit walk' around the area of the cave. My portrayal of her comes from both the OVA and manga series, where we see her showing both depth and a degree of regret for her actions.  
  
-Chapter One almost had to be based entirely around the first of the OVA series, but I tried to re-tell it in the most interesting way as was possible. Tenchi's general fearlessness also first appears in there, and it had an major effect on her relationship with Ryouko.  
  
-Chapter Two is a mix of my own stuff with a few details from OVA #5, dealing with why Ryouko didn't just skewer Tenchi the first chance she got.  
  
-Chapters Three and Four retell OVA #2, based around how the female Tenchi might have derailed certain events in the Tenchi Muyo series.  
  
-Chapter Five used OVA #2 and 3 as it's base, including slipping in a certain line of dialog that has always made me laugh.  
  
-Chapter Six used a bit more of OVA #3.  
  
-Chapter Seven is based on the hotspring episode of OVA #4. I wanted to make the story as different as possible from the original OVA, so I covered a bit before they left as well as expanding on the story.  
  
-Chapters Eight through to Ten adapted the OVA #5,6. As I'm not sure I'm continuing much past this point, I didn't choose to deal with the ship Tsunami and Sasami's link with it at all. I originally intended this to be only two chapters, but I ended up needing three.  
  
-Chapter Eleven will be a wrap-up, and probably the end of the series for now, at least.  
  
Originally I had planed this to be only around eight chapters, but some of the sequences really required a longer number of pages. Due to many readers requests, I've set up the end of chapter eleven to keep my options open if I do decide to continue this later on, either based on the other OVAs or on my own imagination. If I decide to continue on it won't be any time soon, however, I need a bit of a break from this series.  
  
I hope every one enjoyed this!  
  
Shane :) aka Shanejayell 


	13. Merry Christmas, Baby!

Tenchi Muyo: No Need for Boys!

Merry Christmas, Baby!

Washu smiled as she hummed away, studying the readouts in her lab. "Well, well," the redheaded scientist said, "you're actually getting stronger, Ryouko."

Ryouko stood there impatiently, the catlike eyes narrowed a little as she tapped a foot. Bands of golden light washed over her body as she waited in the chamber, her nude form pale in the dim lights of the massive chamber. "Are you going to be done soon?" she asked, "I feel like I've been standing here for hours."

"Just a few moments more," Washu hummed to herself happily. The petite figure studied a image on another one of the screens floating around her even as she cheerfully asked, "So have you and Tenchi... done it, yet?"

"Washu!" Ryouko growled.

"I'd rather you called me momma," Washu chuckled, "or at least little Washu." She looked up impishly, "Well, have you?"

Ryouko hesitated, then a sly smile appeared on her face as the blushing woman firmly said, "None of your business."

"But as your mother I'm merely interested in seeing your development as a woman," Washu protested innocently.

"Yeah, right," Ryouko rolled her eyes.

Finally Washu shut down the scanning device, finding Ryouko's usual bodysuit and bringing it over for her. Switching tracks she said seriously, "It looks like you've fully recovered from your captivity by Kagato. In fact, you're nearly in peak health."

"Thanks," Ryouko said as she pulled on her top, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Washu..." she started, then trailed off.

"Yes?" Washu asked curiously.

"You know that we're coming up on a Earth holiday called Christmas, right?" Ryouko asked her, looking oddly uncomfortable.

"A seasonal holiday, probably dating back to primitive festivals on this world," Washu noted, "Jurai has a similar one. Why?"

"I'd like to give Tenchi a gift," Ryouko finished dressing by pulling her boots on, "but I'm not sure what to give her."

Washu considered teasing her daughter, but something in her eyes held her back, a gentle caring the girl rarely showed. "Have you tried asking Yosho?" she asked.

"He claims that he's not sure what to get her, too," Ryouko chuckled to herself, thinking of the older man wryly. Learning that the man who had once defeated her in battle, Yosho, had retired to this world as Katsuhito Masaki was still something she was getting used to, even though she did find herself liking him, oddly.

"I could always make her something," Washu offered, "but I'm not sure one of my inventions would suit her."

"Oh yeah," Ryouko visibly winced, remembering the havoc Washu's robotic double had caused only a few days ago. She had built the thing to help out with cooking now that Sasami was gone, but things had gone wrong pretty quickly. "Thanks for the offer though," Ryouko sweatdropped as she added, "little Washu."

Washu laughed happily, then bodily slapped Ryouko on the butt. "Head upstairs," she said, "I'm pretty sure your young lady will be back soon."

"Watch the hands," Ryouko growled, flickering as she teleported out of the room, only to reappear in the main hallway of the house.

The Masaki shrine had started out as a fairly normal temple, but with the semi-permanent arrival of her and Washu certain alterations had been made. Using advanced technology and equipment that Washu stored in a pocket dimension she built a home for them nearby the shrine, just beside a blue lake. Tenchi's father had also come out to contribute to the designs the architect helping the structure fit in to human norms.

The top floor was a kitchen, several bedrooms, a large bath and so on, while underneath the home Washu had parked her laboratory, A massive structure it was bigger inside than outside, quite possibly twice the size of the house itself. Washu left the lab only to cook and interact with Tenchi and Ryouko, becoming a almost motherly figure.

Ryouko strode out onto the porch that circled the house, smiling as she saw the snow falling gently from the sky. Uncontrolled weather was yet another thing she was getting used to here, but it could be oddly pleasant.

"Myah?" Ryo-Ohki asked as she looked up at her curiously, the little cabbit having slipped out of the house unobserved.

"Tenchi's not back yet," Ryouko answered, "but I think she'll be back from training soon."

Just then she saw Tenchi walking up the path, the young woman untying her pony tail while still carrying her practice sword. With a gesture her long black hair flowed free, going well with the simple jacket and pants the young woman habitually wore.

"Hey, Ryouko," Tenchi waved, her eyes lighting up with happiness, then she winced as if her shoulder was plaguing her.

Ryouko smiled as she walked up, "Is that mean old man beating up on you?"

"Grandfather sprung a new trick on me today," Tenchi agreed, bending down to scratch behind the cabbit's ears.

"Myah!" Ryo-Ohki exclaimed happily, rubbing gently against her hand.

"And you're a little annoyed by falling for it," Ryouko noted as she slipped her hand into Tenchi's, the two women heading inside together.

"I guess I am," Tenchi confessed.

Ryouko squeezed her fingers comfortingly, "Love, you've got to remember that he's had centuries to learn every dirty trick and tactic you can think of." She flashed a sudden smile, "To be honest, I'm impressed you're doing as well as you do."

"True enough," Tenchi brightened a bit. They went into the living room together, sitting down on one of the couches. "So who gets to make dinner tonight?" she asked, nervously sliding an arm over Ryouko's shoulders.

With a happy sigh Ryouko leaned in to Tenchi, letting her head rest on her shoulder. "Mine, probably," she admitted, "maybe I should order take out?"

"I can help you make some soup, maybe," Tenchi countered gently, the two of them relaxing there for a few moments.

"Tenchi," Ryouko murmured softly, "what do you want for Christmas?"

Tenchi reached out to gently stroke the blue hair away from Ryouko's face, smiling down at her tenderly. "But I already have everything I could want for Christmas," she said to her quietly, "you're here with me."

Ryouko looked up at her, eyes soft and warm. "You're a romantic, Tenchi," she murmured as she cupped Tenchi's face, "and I love you for it." Smoothly she drew Tenchi down into a kiss, at first delicate, then with a greater hunger.

Tenchi moaned softly as she felt her breasts press against Ryouko's as the woman wrapped her arms around her. Smoothly Ryouko tugged her down sideways on the couch, refusing to break the kiss eve as they lay down together.

"This is not a good idea," Tenchi said breathlessly, "Washu could walk in..."

"I don't care," and Ryouko licked along the other woman's neck, nibbling gently. "Watch out for me," she purred in Tenchi's ear, "I bite."

"I wouldn't want you any other way," Tenchi managed to get out then she moaned as Ryouko sucked hungrily on her neck. Her own hands began to gently explore Ryouko's body beneath her clothes, enjoying the moans she could cause the other woman, too.

"You know just what to say," Ryouko laughed throatily.

Completely unnoticed Washu smiled from the living room door, listening and watching with some degree of amusement. "I think we'll just leave them alone for now," Washu told Ryo-Ohki as Tenchi's shirt went flying, soon followed by Ryouko's.

"Myah," Ryo-Ohki agreed.

Picking up the cabbit Washu chuckled, "Besides which, Ryouko would probably kill us if we interrupted them now."

End

Notes: I just couldn't bring myself to leave this alone... Why did Washu build the house? In the original OVA Ryouko swiped the Masaki household during her battle with Ayeka, but since I had her avoid doing that in 'No Need for Boys' I had to come up with a different place for them to live.


End file.
